Iran’s Supreme Leader says he is not very optimistic about negotiations with the U.S., adding that he lacks confidence in the United States.
In a meeting with top Iranian officials, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “I said at the beginning of the year that I am not optimistic about negotiating with the United States; however, even in the past, I have not prohibited negotiating with them about specific topics such as Iraq.”
He added: “Americans are neither trustworthy nor rational, and their approach has never been honest.”
In recent days, Barack Obama has been urged by some U.S. officials to take a more diplomatic stance with Iran.
Ayatollah Khamenei told the gathering, which included president-elect Hassan Rohani, the head of the Guardian Council, Ahmad Jannati, and the heads of Parliament and the judiciary, Ali and Sadegh Larijani: “In interacting with the world, we must continue on our path without allowing other parties to obstruct that path, and if interaction with the world pushed us back on that path, we have suffered damage.”
Hassan Rohani was elected in June on a platform of assuming a more conciliatory stance in international negotiations.
