Skip to main content

Trump ready to meet Rouhani at 'any time' and with ‘no precondition’

US President Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump says he is ready to meet his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, “any time they want to.”

Speaking at a joint press conference alongside Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday, Trump asserted that he would “certainly meet” with Iranians with “no preconditions.”

“It’s good for the country, good for them, good for us and good for the world. No preconditions. If they want to meet, I’ll meet,” said the US president.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appeared on CNBC hours later to set some conditions.

"We've said this before," said the former CIA chief. “If the Iranians demonstrate a commitment to make fundamental changes in how they treat their own people, reduce their malign behavior, can agree that it's worthwhile to enter into a nuclear agreement that actually prevents proliferation, then the president said he's prepared to sit down and have the conversation with them.”

Trump’s latest stance towards Tehran runs counter to his recent threats against the nation as well as pulling Washington out of the Iran nuclear deal despite having the support of almost all US allies.

“I do believe that they will probably end up wanting to meet,” he claimed. “And I’m ready to meet any time they want to. And I don’t do that from strength or from weakness. I think it’s an appropriate thing to do.”

President Rouhani has not yet responded to Trump's latest comments but his adviser said on Twitter that the US should return to the nuclear deal.

"Respecting the Iranian nation's rights, reducing hostilities and returning to the nuclear deal are steps that can be taken to pave the bumpy road of talks between Iran and America," said Hamid Aboutalebi‏ (pictured above).

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi suggested earlier in the day that engaging in negotiations with the "current America" is next to impossible.

He further asserted that a military confrontation between Iran and the United States is out of the question, yet the Islamic Republic is ready for such scenario.

 Known for his anti-Iran sentiments from the campaign days, Trump ultimately pulled the US out of the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, in May.

According to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Trump “should learn well that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace and war with Iran is the mother of all wars.”



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

IHC to hear Nawaz Sharif’s bail plea on medical grounds today

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will take up the plea filed by the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif seeking bail in the Al-Azizia case on medical grounds on Wednesday (today). The division bench comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani will preside the hearing. In the last hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)had submitted its detailed reply in the court. The NAB has requested the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to throw out a petition filed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif seeking his release from prison on medical grounds. In a detailed reply submitted to the IHC in response to Sharif’s plea, the anti-graft watchdog stated that the petition at hand is the third one seeking relief on the grounds similar to previous ones and therefore, is not maintainable and liable to be dismissed with exemplary costs. NAB stated the grounds on the basis of which Sharif sought his release are “non-conclusive observations contained in a medical report of the ...

PM Khan to chair party meeting today

Prime Minister Imran Khan has summoned a meeting of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) leaders and spokespersons on Saturday to discuss the current political situation and budget-2019. As per details, PM Imran Khan would preside over the meeting at his Bani Gala residence and briefed the participants about the party’s narrative in the wake of current situation, said sources. PTI’s strategy for the next session of the National Assembly, economic targets and other issues would also be discussed in the meeting, the sources added. Earlier on June 11, Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced to establish a high-powered commission under his supervision to find out facts behind soaring of loans to Rs24,000 billion in last 10 years. The commission would be comprised of officials from Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), he had said...

PM Khan had ended tolerance for corruption: Fawad Chudry

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday asserted that all state institutions stand by Prime Minister Imran Khan and are working together to lead the country toward development. While talking to journalists, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that before Khan came to power, every politician thought that “corruption was their right”. However, PM Khan had ended tolerance for corruption after he assumed office, Chaudhry claimed. When people do not have money to buy medicines then how can a prime minister live lavishly?” said Fawad Chaudhry. “They [the previous government] had ordered cars worth Rs980 million for one SAARC conference,” Chaudhry said, adding that the maintenance expenditure of the cars amounted to Rs350m. He said that previous governments had left the country up to its eyeballs in debt by spending huge amounts of money on extravagance. The new premier was trying to repay this debt. He further said that the budget allocated to state institutions like Pakist...