Iran Hopes for Change

As we have noted several times, Iran’s leaders have consistently rebuffed Barack Obama’s friendly overtures. They have used Obama’s gestures as occasions to bash America and to demand more concrete concessions as a precondition to bilateral talks. Iran’s FARS news agency reports on the latest rebuff, by Iranian MP Mohammad Karami Raad, who describes Obama’s policies as “contradictory.” Raad tells FARS what Iran’s government expects to see from the Obama administration:

Noting that Americans should relinquish unilateralism and bullying and consider the interests of the world governments and nations, Karami Raad reiterated, “The Americans should put their words into practice. Uttering words does not suffice.”

“In a bid to build (Iran’s) confidence, the United States’ should show respect for the great Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic ruling system, apologize for tens of years of conspiracy and hostile measures against Iran and pay the price (for the wrong measures it has adopted),” he added.

The Iranian legislator reminded the remarks by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, and said, “Americans should accept Iran’s rights to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, free all frozen assets of Iran, give up adoption of inimical decisions against Iran, respect Iran’s stance on the basic rights and resistance of the Palestinian and Lebanese nations and avoid the unjust practicing of its veto power over the UN resolutions on this issue (Palestine and Lebanon).”

“It is only then that the United States can allege change (in its foreign policy),” he added.

These demands are unreasonable, of course, but Obama set the stage for them by repudiating the policies of his predecessors, holding himself out as a symbol of “change” and leading with his chin by issuing public valentines to Iran’s leaders. And really: if America’s foreign policy has been so terrible all these years, as Obama keeps telling everyone, then why shouldn’t Iran expect concrete changes as a condition of improved relations?

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