Iran Leader says will not oppose talks with US on certain issues
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei
has expressed skepticism about talks with the United States, Press
TV reported.
During an iftar ceremony with a group of senior Iranian officials
on Sunday night, Ayatollah Khamenei said that he was not opposed to
talks with Washington on certain issues.
Iranian President-elect Hassan Rohani, President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, and Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani were among those
present at the ceremony.
"...I am not optimistic about negotiation with the US although I
have not rejected negotiations over certain issues such as Iraq in
the past years," the Leader stated, adding, the US officials are
unreliable and dishonest.
The Leader noted that "We have always believed in interaction with
the world," but any interaction must be based on a proper
recognition of the other side.
Khamenei also hailed Iran's progress in science, saying its key
role in regional and global developments are proof of its success
in the past 30 years.
At the beginning of 2012, the United States and the EU imposed new
sanctions on Iran's oil and financial sector, suspecting the
country of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy
program.
Iran rejects the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory
to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use
nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.