He made the remarks during a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, stressing that both the United States and Europe must earn Iran’s trust by taking confidence-building measures.
“Today, it is the other side that has to respect the rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a confidence-building measure. It is not Iran, but rather the United States and Europe, that have to prove their good faith and build trust; they have to earn the trust of the Islamic Republic of Iran by proving their good faith,” Pezeshkian said.
In response to the French side’s statement on the need for consultations with the United States, President Pezeshikian pointed to the record of talks between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States government and said that Iran has repeatedly emphasized that it does not seek to acquire nuclear weapons by any means, based on the fatwa issued by Islamic Revolution leader Ayatollah Khamenei and within the framework of security and defense principles.
“Unfortunately, we are witnessing increased pressure and sanctions based on biased claims under the false pretext that Iran is attempting to build nuclear weapons,” he said.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s principled approach is that misunderstandings can be resolved through logic and dialogue, but the use or threat of force not only does not resolve issues but also exacerbates dissension and division,” he said.
“Iran has always been open to dialogue and exchanges,” the Iranian president said, adding: “Today, it is the other side that must respect the rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran and not try to impose its own excesses.”
The Iranian president stressed that it is not up to Iran to prove its sincerity and build trust; rather, the United States and Europe must prove their sincerity and win Iran’s trust.
The French president said France would work to create a new negotiating framework so that a clear conclusion could be reached between Iran and the West.
“In order to reach an agreement, it is essential that interaction and discussion continue to create transparency and build trust,” President Emmanuel Macron said.
MNA