Rafsanjani: The Reopening of the US Embassy in Iran is Not Impossible

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the head of Iran's Expediency Discernment Council, described direct negotiations between Tehran and Washington as a 'taboo-breaking' act and stated that the reopening of the United States embassy in Iran is also 'not impossible.' In an interview with the British newspaper 'The Guardian' published on Wednesday, July 8, he referred to the nuclear negotiations between Iran and global powers, saying: 'Iran is completely serious. If the other parties are equally serious, we will definitely reach an agreement.' Iran and the P5+1 group are in the midst of prolonged negotiations to reach a comprehensive nuclear agreement, which has been extended until Friday. However, what seemed unlikely two years ago—direct high-level diplomatic negotiations between Tehran and Washington—has become commonplace during the nuclear talks. Rafsanjani holds a positive view on this matter, stating to The Guardian: 'Direct, face-to-face negotiations are better than remote discussions through the media.' He noted that 'the US was the main supporter of the Shah's regime before the revolution and stood against Iran during the imposed war. Now, if a change in US behavior is observed during the nuclear talks, it will have a positive impact on Iranian society,' especially if sanctions are lifted, which would be 'a significant step.' Rafsanjani then mentioned that the reopening of the US embassy in Tehran is 'not impossible,' but this matter 'depends on the behaviors of both sides.' He referred to the famous saying of Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, who said: 'We will not establish relations with the US unless it becomes a decent country.' The US embassy in Tehran has been closed since November 1979 following the takeover by a group of students loyal to Ayatollah Khomeini and the hostage-taking of embassy staff. During this time, Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic relations until the nuclear negotiations, which entered a new phase two years ago with face-to-face talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State John Kerry.