Rouhani: U.S. Officials Send Messages Every Day Asking to Negotiate

The President of Iran claimed without providing details or evidence that U.S. officials "send messages every day through various means" asking the Islamic Republic's officials to negotiate. According to Fars News Agency, Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday, September 8, in a speech that U.S. officials "pressure the Iranian people on one hand and on the other hand send us messages every day through various means asking us to negotiate together." He added, "It has not been two weeks since a new message comes to us. Let’s negotiate here or there. We want to solve issues, but should we believe in your promises or your actions? If you are truthful and care for the Iranian people, why do you want to put pressure on their lives?" Mr. Rouhani did not provide details or evidence regarding this claim. The Iranian President had also stated in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, August 15, that the negotiation process between Iran and the U.S. was going "well," but the U.S. "destroyed it and burned the bridge." In recent weeks, following Donald Trump's announcement of readiness for an "unconditional" meeting with Hassan Rouhani, speculations arose about the possibility of a meeting between the two presidents or at least some officials from both countries on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Despite the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and the re-imposition of sanctions against Iran, the U.S. President expressed on August 30 his willingness to meet with Iranian leaders without any conditions. This proposal faced a strong backlash from military commanders in Iran, and the Iranian Foreign Ministry responded that the Islamic Republic is not "afraid" of negotiations, but it is "unlikely that Trump is serious about negotiating." The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic also declared negotiations with the U.S. as "forbidden," and Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards, stated that Iran would not negotiate with Donald Trump or any future U.S. presidents. In the following days, Trump emphasized that Iran's economic situation is deteriorating rapidly and predicted that Iranian officials would soon enter negotiations with the U.S. The Islamic Republic has responded negatively to public negotiations with the U.S., despite having held several secret negotiations between the two countries since the 1979 revolution. In the final years of Ahmadinejad's presidency, deputy foreign ministers from both countries also held confidential talks in Oman. On Saturday, Rouhani also stated that Iran is currently engaged in an "economic" and "psychological war" and that "the government is at the forefront of this war." He added, "In this situation, all parties, groups, powers, and various organizations should know that today is neither a day for complaints, nor a day for competition, nor a day for revenge, as we are all in the field of struggle." Rouhani also posed the question of how many fronts the government should fight on. He emphasized that "the government cannot fight against the U.S. and Israel while also being concerned about left and right." He stressed, "In this situation, if any faction thinks that by speaking against the government they will become popular, they are mistaken and will be despised by the people." In recent weeks, especially with the intensification of currency market fluctuations, Friday prayer leaders and close associates of the Supreme Leader have severely criticized the government. Following this trend, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated on Thursday, September 6, that "the solution to the country's problems is not to abandon the government and express disapproval of the responsible agencies, but rather to create a healthy relationship between public opinion and responsible agencies, to speak and criticize, while also providing intellectual and practical support." Meanwhile, Rouhani referred to these remarks on Saturday, stating that today "the principles of the revolution and national interests require us to stand together and support each other." He noted that if "conditions were peaceful and the U.S. had not drawn its sword from its sheath, I would have spoken differently, but today is a day of war with the enemy." During a parliamentary session on Tuesday, September 27, representatives found Rouhani's responses to four out of five questions regarding the economic situation and the severe depreciation of the rial unconvincing, only being satisfied with the answer related to banking sanctions. Some political activists and members of parliament labeled Rouhani's remarks in this session as "conservative." The Iranian parliament also impeached and dismissed the ministers of economy and labor following the currency market fluctuations.