On Tuesday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei opened the door to talks with the US, telling the new Iranian government there was “no harm” in engaging with the “enemy.”
Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, pledged during his campaign that he would work to get US and other Western sanctions lifted. He said he wanted direct engagement, as opposed to indirect talks the Biden administration has held with Tehran. Pezeshkian appeared to get Khamenei’s blessing to make the effort to negotiate.
“This does not mean that we cannot interact with the same enemy in certain situations. There is no harm in that, but do not place your hopes in them. Do not trust the enemy,” Khamenei told Pezeshkian, according to Khamenei’s official website.
While Pezeshkian is willing to talk with the US, it’s unclear if he will have a willing partner. The Biden administration is not expected to make any changes to its policy toward Tehran before the November election, as the Democrats are running on a new platform of being tough on Iran.
The previous Trump administration was very hawkish toward Iran and tore up the 2015 nuclear deal by reimposing sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Former President Trump and his vice president pick, JD Vance, have made hawkish comments on Iran and have accused President Biden of abandoning Israel.
Khamenei’s comments came as the US is still expecting Iran to launch a retaliatory attack over the Israeli assassination of Hamas’s political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, on Iranian soil. The US is pledging to defend Israel as it did in April when Iran launched its first-ever attack on Israeli territory in response to the Israeli bombing of its consulate in Damascus.
Remember how western media portrayed Iran as nothing but a bunch of crazies? They come across as the most rational, reasonable and sane at this point.
It is encouraging, all the way around, for all.
Yes. We believed them. There is absolutely NOTHING they can do to change our minds. Once a Warmonger mentions a WAR, WE HAVE TO HAVE IT!
The funny thing is that they portray them as simultaneously crazy and fanatical AND at the same time capable of being intimidated by "resolve" and "strength" …
If they genuinely WERE crazy, they would not be intimidatable …
You see, the thing is, the Iranians are adults.
I mean, apart from the ~30% of their population under the age of 15, whom Neocons would include as targets in any future airstrikes or military action.
If true, Pezeshkian must be stupid.
Or it's a safe hedge bet. President Pezeshkian makes a public display of open diplomacy towards the West (read : US) knowing that either a) they accept & Pres Pez becomes a reformer and improves IRI society, or b) they again reject diplomacy and he wins by "trying his best".
I don’t disagree. I just find it ironic that our victims are diplomatic, while we victimize them.
No, just desperate … but desperate people do sometimes act stupidly.
Whistling into the wind? I remember that candidate Biden, during the 2020 campaign, promised to return to the "Obama agreement". Once in power he did no such thing but tightened the screws on Iran. Prediction: the current administration will say NO and a Harris administration will get even more aggressive against Iran.
I do hope that Harris is following Biden's policies only to immediate dump them on swearing-in next January and charting her own course on every issue.
Pezeshkian wants to try what he promised during his campaign…! It's a long shot…!
True netman and yet, it may be a shot worth taking…
I support anything to help reduce global tensions and most certainly to ease human suffering…
Iran needs to review North American history. Ask a Native about negotiating with pale faces. The only thing Genocide Joe, and posse understand is force of arms. Whether it be Kamala, or Trump, they will be no different.