MP: New US Approach toward Iran Needs to Be Verified


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An Iranian lawmaker said President Rouhani's trip to New York opened up a new chapter in international relations, and while welcoming Iran's change in tone towards the US, he called on the White House to take serious action to redress its past track record with Iran.

The US needs to show it is serious to make a new start in its relations with Tehran; it also needs to make up for part of its past crimes against the Iranian nation and give up its hostility towards the country, Alireza Zakani said in his Tuesday address at the parliament.

"In fact, this is a new verification that has just started which requires practical action by the US not speech therapy," he added.

He said that the US would either go ahead to lift the sanctions, which would be favorable for Iran, or resort to some baseless and illogical claims to continue with its past track, which justifies the long-held pessimism of Iranian leaders towards the White House.

This comes after a Friday telephone conversation between US President Barack Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani thawed a 34-year freeze in relations between their two countries.

In his UN address Obama said he was determined to pursue a diplomatic path towards Iran despite great roadblocks and assigned his secretary of state, John Kerry, to oversee negotiations with Tehran.

But Obama told Israeli prime minister on Monday that the use of force was still on the table in dealing with Tehran's nuclear program.

Zakani further said presence of President Rouhani at the UN "opened up a new chapter in international relations", adding the stances expressed by the president in his address to the UN general Assembly and his meetings with leaders from other countries were the successful continuation of the public diplomacy that has been pursued by Iranian officials for many years.

The Iranian Parliament Speaker, Ali Larijani, too, had in relevant remarks said on September 28 that language of threats is not a good language, advising the Americans: If you wish to resolve the nuclear issue through diplomacy you need to act honestly.

Larijani confirmed that the US tone has changed in the past few days, but added what we need to pay attention to is their deeds, not their words.