Iranian MP condemns US 'carrot-stick' policy on Iran

A senior Iranian legislator blasted the US officials for pursuing the dual-track approach of sanctions and talks with Iran. “The US officials’ behavior and deeds are paradoxical," Member of the Iranian Parliament's Presiding Board Hossein Sobhaninia said, criticizing Washington's call for direct talks with Iran while tightening sanctions against the country. Sobhaninia said the Islamic Republic believes in interaction with the world but it will never ignore its principles and goals. The parliamentarian said Washington's dual policy vis-à-vis Iran explains why Iranians are mistrustful of the United States. The United States and Iran broke diplomatic relations in April 1980, after Iranian students seized the United States' espionage center at its embassy in Tehran. The two countries have had tense relations ever since, but have shown willingness to attend talks to help resolve regional issues, including security in Iraq. Yet, the two countries have avoided talks on bilateral issues for the last thirty years. A few weeks before the US presidential elections in October, the New York Times reported that Washington and Tehran had reached an agreement to hold one-on-one negotiations. The sources that provided the story, according to the newspaper, were "Obama administration officials". They added that Iran only insisted that the proposed negotiations be held after the US elections. Iran categorically denied media reports about Iranian and US officials' direct talks, and stressed that such claims are aimed at influencing the results of the US presidential elections.