“The [ongoing] economic crisis and the skyrocketing energy prices have greatly harmed the West and now they are well aware of the fact that Iran is an influential reality in the region and international arena,” Kazem Jalali said on Tuesday.
The lawmaker stated that the Western countries have realized that the path they have taken so far against Iran is wide of the mark, but are not bold enough to own up to their mistakes.
“They have always seen that Iran will not give up under sanctions and threats and will continue its own path in a logical and plausible manner,” Jalali, the spokesman of Iran Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, added.
Therefore, he said, they should now engage in negotiations with the Islamic Republic under such circumstances.
Referring to new talks between Iran and the P5+1 – the US, France, Britain, Russia, and China, plus Germany – which started in Istanbul and will continue in Baghdad, the lawmaker hoped the P5+1 will use the new opportunity to build confidence with the Iranian nation and comply with its obligations.
“The wall of distrust between Iran and the West is high and our public opinion has serious doubts about their compliance with their obligations. The [forthcoming] negotiations with the P5+1 are a good litmus test to prove the West’s goodwill,” Jalali said.
“The West has frequently showed that it does not comply with its obligations and [the Western countries] have proven that they do not abide by their Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations in practice,” he added.
Iran and the P5+1 held the first round of their new multifaceted talks in Turkish city of Istanbul on April 14 after a hiatus of 15 months and both sides described negotiations constructive. They are set to hold the second round of talks in Iraq’s capital city of Baghdad on May 23.
SS/PKH/IS
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