Iran’s new president said the country was determined to resolve the nuclear disagreement with the U.S. and the West and was ready to enter “serious and substantive'' negotiations.
In his first newsconference since taking the oath of office Saturday, President Hassan Rouhani defended Iran’s nuclear program and was critical of U.S. and Western economic sanctions.
Asked by NBC News if a new round of economic sanctions against Iran passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week would complicate negotiations, Rouhani criticized the U.S. for sending both conciliatory and bellicose messages.
"The United States has sent conflicting messages in the way it acts. What they say and do differs,” said Rouhani. "It is important that America responds in practice – not just talk."
Iran is under U.N. sanctions and unilateral Western oil and banking sanctions over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a process that can be used to build nuclear weapons. Iran says the program is aimed at generating electricity and producing treatments for cancer patients.
Rouhani said Iran would not abandon its nuclear program, but rather that would continue under the terms of the non-proliferation treaty.
"We will not do away with the right of the nation,” he said.
“However, we are for negotiations and interaction. We are prepared, seriously and without wasting time, to enter negotiations which are serious and substantive with the other side.''
“If the other party is also prepared like we are, then I am confident that the concerns of both sides will be removed through negotiations within a period which will not be very long.''
Rouhani was very careful with his words during the news conference, pausing before he would answer questions. For instance, he was clear to say he was “neither optimistic, nor pessimistic” about future nuclear negotiations.
In his first newsconference since taking the oath of office Saturday, President Hassan Rouhani defended Iran’s nuclear program and was critical of U.S. and Western economic sanctions.
Asked by NBC News if a new round of economic sanctions against Iran passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week would complicate negotiations, Rouhani criticized the U.S. for sending both conciliatory and bellicose messages.
"The United States has sent conflicting messages in the way it acts. What they say and do differs,” said Rouhani. "It is important that America responds in practice – not just talk."
Iran is under U.N. sanctions and unilateral Western oil and banking sanctions over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a process that can be used to build nuclear weapons. Iran says the program is aimed at generating electricity and producing treatments for cancer patients.
Rouhani said Iran would not abandon its nuclear program, but rather that would continue under the terms of the non-proliferation treaty.
"We will not do away with the right of the nation,” he said.
“However, we are for negotiations and interaction. We are prepared, seriously and without wasting time, to enter negotiations which are serious and substantive with the other side.''
“If the other party is also prepared like we are, then I am confident that the concerns of both sides will be removed through negotiations within a period which will not be very long.''
Rouhani was very careful with his words during the news conference, pausing before he would answer questions. For instance, he was clear to say he was “neither optimistic, nor pessimistic” about future nuclear negotiations.
