His first negotiations with the US went so well he wants to negotiate again for Iran.... can not wait to see him retire... Comment as you wish.
Iran, US Need to Sit for Talks on Selective Issues: Zarif
By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
January 23, 2021
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (right) speaks in an interview with Etemad newspaper's Sara Massoumi (left)
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Iranian daily newspaper Etemad, which was published on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, Zarif said Iran needs to draw a final shape of the future of its relations with the United States.
“In my personal view, which does not represent the country’s view, we should delineate the final shape of relations with the US. We should tell the US that we won’t cooperate with you on the issue of Israel, and we’ll continue to disagree with you on that. We won’t get along with you on the issue of hegemony, and won’t let you interfere in Iran’s domestic affairs, but we have no problem working with you on the issue of oil,” Zarif said.
“We also have no problem if the Persian Gulf security is ensured [through cooperation], even though we believe foreign presence in the Persian Gulf brings about insecurity, and you [Americans] should not be here.”
“We believe democracy needs to be established in Afghanistan, as we [Iran and the US] reached an understanding in Bonn in 2001, but we believe your presence in Afghanistan is dangerous,” he added.
“We need to have a serious picture of general [outline of relations] in the future with the US, and then hold negotiations [with the US] on issues we decide, not on all issues,” Zarif said.
He said he has never believed in tension and escalation, but he believes Iranian people have an identity to preserve.
“This is a cultural, civilizational, and national identity. National identity does not allow an American to say ‘if I stop supporting Iran for a week, they will be speaking Arabic, Russian or Chinese’,” Zarif said.
Zarif quoted former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger as saying that Iran is heir to the world’s oldest national identity. “This is why we cannot accept that someone rules over us with bullying.”
He said the Americans have been accustomed to dictating their demands to other sides, but that did not happen for them in the case of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.
“The nuclear deal (JCPOA) was opposed by two groups: Iranians and Americans. Few people had any problem with the JCPOA in Europe. Why? Because Americans are used to dictating their demands whenever they have interaction with someone, but there was no dictation in the JCPOA,” the Iranian top diplomat said.
“Likewise, Iranians are accustomed to resisting, especially after the 1979 revolution. There was resistance in the JCPOA, but its final word was interaction. This was why there was opposition to the JCPOA both in Iran and the US,” he added.
“Where do you think the US’ call for a change in the JCPOA’s timetables or inclusion of regional and missiles issues in the deal comes from? This is exactly where we disagree. It’s because they have a saying which says ‘what’s mine is mine, and what’s yours is open to negotiation’. This way of thinking may work in many parts of the world, but not with Iran.”
Iran Constructing Sci-Tech Park at iLand City
By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
January 24, 2021
Iranian Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari visited the site of the park to see for himself the process of its construction.
“The potential created to build a sci-tech park has given fresh impetus to the trend of the formation of a smart city,” he said.
He added the Science and Technology Department of the President’s Office supports the development of knowledge-based infrastructure in the country.
“The purpose of this visit was to offer support to the development of innovation and technology ecosystem for companies and individuals who take steps towards solving problems of society through innovative services and solutions,” he noted.
He said the department is seriously making efforts to establish knowledge-based companies, technological units and creative industries at the sci-tech park.
“By supporting this complex, we try to help further develop the potential of smart cities and set the stage for the development of advanced technologies in this atmosphere,” the vice president said.
Located 35 km southwest of Tehran, the iLand commercial and entertainment township covering 1,400 hectares of land includes resort, residential and technological facilities. Part of the complex is allotted to the Iranians’ Sci-Tech Park.
