TEHRAN – NBC is broadcasting an expanded version of an interview with Iranian President Masoud Pezeskian in which he said that Iran does not play games when it comes to security and that if the Iranian regime He said he would actively engage with the president. He treats Tehran with respect.
In the first few minutes, the interviewer addressed President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and the ensuing debate over whether Iran would be involved in a second regime.
In a conversation with NBC, Masoud Pezeshkian clearly answered a direct question from the host, saying, “Iran is ready to engage with the second Trump administration on the basis of principles.”
The current Iranian government and other authorities within the Islamic Republic are open to diplomatic dialogue with Western countries as long as it is done without external pressure and respects Iran’s red lines regarding both domestic and foreign policy. It is important to note that this is by no means exclusive.
The president also used the opportunity to remind the audience of the promises the United States has failed to fulfill and Washington’s attempts to overthrow the government in Tehran. Mr. Pezeshkian not only expressed Iran’s intention to negotiate from a position of equals, but also sent a clear message to the United States that it would abandon its policy of “regime change” and approach dialogue from a position of mutual respect rather than a position of imposition. sent to the government.
Mr. Pezeshkian stressed that negotiations should take place within a clear framework, which includes respect for the commitments made and mutual respect, and there must be a common will on both sides. “Our problem is not in dialogue. Our problem is in the promises made through negotiations, which must be respected. When Iran negotiated with major powers over its nuclear program, we “We fulfilled all our promises. Unfortunately, it was the other party who did not keep their promises.” Regarding this, he expressed concern that “even if we negotiate, I have a suspicion that they are trying to overthrow the Iranian government rather than actually solving the problem.”
Part of Iran’s problem with the West, especially the United States, lies in the aforementioned lack of engagement. In this context, the abandonment of the nuclear agreement (JCPOA) signed in 2015 and ratified by Iran, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China and the European Union is evidence of the lack of a nuclear agreement by the Iranian government. It is considered that the integrity and commitment of Western countries in negotiations with the Islamic Republic; As already noted, Washington’s unilateral withdrawal from the agreement reinforces this perception.
Despite past experience, Pezeshkian’s government pledged during the election period to try to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Western powers, with the main aim of lifting economic sanctions that spanned the country.
Regarding sanctions, the Trump administration is expected to resume its “maximum pressure” strategy against Iran, an approach that will further complicate any attempts to reach a diplomatic agreement.
Regarding the possibility of military escalation in the region, the Iranian president stressed that Iran does not intend to pose a threat. When asked about the possibility of an attack on nuclear facilities, Pezeshkian was firm: “Iran does not want war, but we are prepared to defend ourselves if our nuclear facilities are attacked.” There is,” he said. Naturally, we will respond to any actions taken against us. ”
“We are not afraid of war,” the president said. We sincerely hope that this does not happen, as it would be detrimental not only to us, but to all parties involved. ” This desire to avoid widespread conflict is based on a policy of “good neighborliness” that promotes normal and peaceful relations between states sharing the same regional space. This strategy was first implemented during the tenure of the late President Ebrahim Raisi.
Regarding the situation in the region, the president pointed to Israeli policies that are “flooding the region with death and destruction.”
Another key issue in the interview was that NBC host Lester Holt asked Pezeshkian whether he thought Iran’s position had weakened after the fall of al-Assad in Syria, which he described as a “weakening of Hezbollah.” This came up when I asked. The president responded that there was no connection between these events and the potential weakening of the Islamic Republic, adding that from his perspective, the country was “much more united than before.” Ta.