June 17, 2016
Foreign Minister Moham-mad-Javad Zarif blasted Washington Sunday for what he said was its continued hostility toward Iran, and said Tehran never trusts the United States.
“The nuclear agreement doesn’t mean that the other side’s hostility has ended, since they always consider the Islamic Republic of Iran as an obstacle on their way. Also, it doesn’t mean they have halted their stonewalling,” Zarif said in a speech to the new Majlis.
He said the nuclear deal also doesn’t mean the end of western attempts to find pretexts for pressuring Iran, since the nature of the negotiating countries has not changed and talks last year were limited to the nuclear issue and did not cover other subjects, such as Iran’s missile work.
Zarif stressed Iran’s caution in dealing with the western states, chiefly Washington, and said, “We never trust the US and the basis of our power is our fight against hegemony.”
It was a surprisingly hard-line speech by the “moderate” Zarif, but may have been part of an effort to cover himself on the political right.
In April, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenehi underlined that Iran cannot trust the US and its western allies because of what he called their bad record complying with their commitments.
Addressing members of the cabinet, the Majlis presiding board and Judiciary, Khamenehi said it is typical of the US to carry out unethical and immoral moves. “The Americans cannot be trusted and, in addition to the Americans, certain other western states are also the same,” he said.
Earlier, Khamenehi lashed out at the US for not abiding by the nuclear agreement. “The Americans did not act on what they promised in the nuclear accord; they did not do what they should have done.”