GERMANY: Iran's Foreign Minister Salehi believes U.S. changing its approach to Tehran
Record ID:
862316
GERMANY: Iran's Foreign Minister Salehi believes U.S. changing its approach to Tehran
- Title: GERMANY: Iran's Foreign Minister Salehi believes U.S. changing its approach to Tehran
- Date: 4th February 2013
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (FEBRUARY 4, 2013) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS OUTSIDE THE GERMAN UNION ASSOCIATION POLICE CAR PLACARDS SHOWING CROSSED-OUT IRANIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD AND CROSSED-OUT MEETING OF SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WITH IN MOCK GALLOWS PHOTOGRAPHERS VARIOUS OF IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALI AKBAR SALEHI ARRIVING PHOTOGRAPHERS CLOSE SALEHI AUDIENCE SALEHI WALKING TO LECTERN (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALI AKBAR SALEHI SAYING: "I'm optimistic. I feel this new administration is really this time seeking to at least divert from its previous and traditional approach vis-�vis my country." CAMERAS (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALI AKBAR SALEHI SAYING: "So we hope that this time with this new administration and with the change that President Obama ... when running in his first office, he promised the international community about it that he wants to walk away from wars." CAMERAS (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALI AKBAR SALEHI SAYING: "I think it's about time that both sides really get into engagement. Because confrontation certainly is not the way. Confrontation will only exerbarate the situation and the entire region and the international community will be suffering from the consequences." VARIOUS OF AUDIENCE
- Embargoed: 19th February 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- City:
- Country: Germany
- Topics: International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA9LA4NCC20B5M3RIULEH5O6Q3F
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Iranian Foreign Minister Salehi says in Berlin that he believes the U.S. is changing its approach towards Tehran
While about 100 people demonstrated outside the German Council on Foreign Relations Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said on Monday (February 4) he saw U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden's offer this weekend of bilateral dialogue between their two countries as a sign of a change in approach to Iran by the U.S. administration.
"I am optimistic, I feel this new administration is really seeking this time to at least divert from its previous traditional approach vis a vis my country," he told the German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin.
Tehran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful but the West suspects it is intended to give Iran the capability to build a nuclear bomb.
Salehi, who attended the Munich Security Conference at the weekend where Biden made the offer, said in Berlin that it was still very difficult for Tehran and Washington to trust each other.
Negotiations between Iran and six major world powers - Russia, China, the United States, Britain, France and Germany - over Tehran's nuclear activities have been deadlocked since a meeting last June.
European Union officials have accused Iran of dragging its feet in weeks of haggling over the date and venue for new talks. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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