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Washington / Tehran (dpa) – The surprising offer of talks by US President Donald Trump in escalating the conflict with Iran has sparked skepticism in Tehran.
Before such a meeting, Trump must withdraw his withdrawal from the existing nuclear agreement and the next US sanctions, asked on Tuesday the Iranian president's advisor Hbadan Ruhani Hamid Abutalebi. Trump had said Monday that he was "ready" for a meeting with Iranian leaders – without preconditions.
However, after Trump's appearance, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo relativized his statements and postponed the terms of a meeting. For example, Tehran must undertake to fundamentally change its behavior towards its own people and to end its "malicious" behavior in the Middle East. In addition, the Islamic Republic must accept the goal of concluding an agreement that actually "prevents" the development of nuclear weapons, Pompeo told CNBC. Then Trump is ready for the talks.
Trump spokesman for the National Security Council, Garrett Marquis, said that if the Tehran government changed its behavior, then the United States was ready to end the sanctions and establish diplomatic ties and economic. "Here, the severity of the sanctions will only be more painful if the regime does not change course."
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammed Jawad Sarif told the United States on Twitter that "public relations threats, sanctions and stunts would not work". Instead, USA should try it with respect for Iranians and for international commitments. Sarif insisted that the nuclear agreement was working. "The United States can only blame itself for being removed and leaving the table."
Ruhani Abutalebi's advisor said on Twitter: "Go back to the nuclear deal, end the hostilities and respect the Iranian people (…) and set the stage for getting out of the current dilemma." Before Trump's offer of negotiations, the US president and Iranian leaders had pleaded with blatant threats in recent days.
Trump had tweeted: "Never again threaten the United States, or you will feel consequences of the kind that few have suffered in history before." Ruhani had threatened to close the oil export routes into the Persian Gulf if Washington intensified the conflict.
The United States accuse Iran of extending its sphere of influence in neighboring Arab countries such as Yemen and Syria. The Americans have reneged on the 2015 nuclear deal, which aims to prevent Tehran from building nuclear weapons. On the other hand, it provides for the reduction of economic sanctions. Although the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has certified that Iran is complying with the agreements, the United States has again imposed sanctions on the country's financial and energy sectors. The first sanctions are expected to come into effect on August 6, others in November.
Trump's statement that he was ready for a meeting without preconditions was a surprise Monday night. "I do not know if they are ready," he said, looking at the Iranians. The nuclear agreement was a "waste of paper". But if a significant nuclear deal could be reached with Iran, it would be "good for them, good for us, good for the world".
The US president reaffirmed Monday that the "brutal regime in Iran" should never have nuclear weapons. At the same time, however, Trump discussed his talks in June with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on the denuclearization of North Korea. "I believe in meetings," he said. Such a conversation would not take place neither a position of strength nor weakness.
Ruhani did not comment on Trump 's offer at first. The issue sparked heated debate in Iran's parliament on Tuesday. "Talking to Trump now would be a humiliating capitulation," said Ali Motahari, deputy speaker of parliament. MP Heschmat Fallahatpischeh, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee, said: "Basically, the talks between Iran and the United States should not become a taboo subject". The path is currently but also in his opinion "rocky and heavy".
Trump's meeting with Kim was also preceded by threats from the US president. However, the success of the talks is controversial. The Washington Post reported Monday (local time), citing government officials, that US intelligence agencies had indications that North Korea would continue to build new intercontinental ballistic missiles.
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