U.S. Secretary of State: Iran's Commitment to Behavioral Change is the Criterion for the Value of Dialogue

Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated that Iran's commitment to changing its behavior is a criterion for the value of any dialogue with the Islamic Republic. In an interview with Metro TV in Indonesia, he responded to a question regarding Donald Trump's willingness to meet with Iranian leaders. Pompeo reminded that the Shiite government of the Islamic Republic has treated the Iranian people poorly, leading to violence and terrorism. He emphasized that Iran is the 'largest supporter of terrorism in the world,' and this characteristic is what the U.S. is trying to compel Iran to stop. He added, 'Such behavioral change is what we are looking for.' Pompeo also mentioned that 'the President of the United States has always said he is ready for dialogue, whether an agreement can be reached or appropriate discussions can take place. However, it is important that Iran is committed to changing its behavior, and this approach proves that such dialogues are valuable.' Recently, Donald Trump stated he is willing to meet with Hassan Rouhani 'without preconditions.' He has repeated this willingness several times and expressed hope that the situation between Iran and the U.S. would improve. Although recently some political activists in Iran and abroad have called for reflection on this proposal and acceptance of it, both Rouhani and the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei have not yet reacted to this offer. Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that 'negotiation has conditions and requirements that have not been seen in the words and actions of Mr. Trump and his colleagues so far,' and the commander of the Revolutionary Guards declared that the U.S. 'will never see such a day.' Donald Trump has been a serious critic of the nuclear deal with Iran, partly because this agreement has remained silent on Iran's missile program and the Islamic Republic's regional behaviors. In mid-April of this year, after his deadline for correcting the flaws of the nuclear agreement expired, he announced the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, initiating the process of reinstating sanctions on Iran. These sanctions, the first phase of which begins on Monday, August 6, will affect various sectors of the Iranian economy, from banking and insurance to the automotive industry and ultimately the oil industry, with the U.S. stating it aims to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero by the start of the second phase of sanctions on November 4. Although Iranian officials had previously promised to consider various measures to counter the effects of the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and the potential return of sanctions, in the weeks leading up to the reinstatement of sanctions, the economic atmosphere in Iran was severely impacted by this issue, and the price of the U.S. dollar in the unofficial market reached over 12,000 tomans. Additionally, in recent days, some cities in Iran witnessed protests and gatherings where demonstrators shouted slogans against the Iranian government and the leaders of the Islamic Republic, in addition to their livelihood demands. However, on Sunday, ahead of the announcement of the government's new currency policy, news sources in Iran reported that each U.S. dollar was being bought and sold for under 10,000 tomans in the unofficial market. President Hassan Rouhani is expected to speak live on television on Tuesday night, and it is anticipated that he will address the recent fluctuations in the currency market, the recent protests in Iran, and possibly the U.S. President's proposal for a meeting and negotiations.