The nuclear agreement was a litmus test for US policy toward Iran and demonstrated for yet another time that Washington is not a reliable negotiating partner, an official said on Monday, ruling out the possibility of two-way talks in the present juncture.
"A declared foreign policy of the Islamic Republic is to interact with countries…but it was the United States that created a strange situation in its relations with Iran," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi told a press briefing in Tehran.
He made the comments when asked whether Iran will welcome talks with the US if it serves Iran’s national interests.
No Sign of Change
The official drew attention to President Donald Trump's decision in early May to pull out of the nuclear accord and reimpose sanctions on Tehran.
"This issue shows that the US is not trustworthy, and at present, there is no indication that the United States can be trusted."
Iranian officials said earlier that the nuclear deal, among other things, was a litmus test to see if the Americans could or should be trusted, Qasemi stated.
"If the US had changed its behavior and shown that it is a reliable country, which does not seek hegemony over other countries, the possibility of talks with the US could have been discussed. But we have not seen any sensible behavior by American leaders so far," he said, adding that bilateral talks currently seem pretty "impossible".
Afghan Mediation
Asked whether Iran is ready to play the role of mediator between different the warring Afghan groups, he said Tehran has always supported efforts to enhance security and stability in the neighboring country.
"As a compassionate neighbor of Afghanistan, we will offer every assistance possible to help augment security and stability in Afghanistan as well as promote understanding and goodwill between the central government and other groups."
Qasemi lamented the fact that the three-day ceasefire for the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which had been agreed by the Taliban and Afghan government forces was not extended.
The Taliban, fighting to reimpose an extremist interpretation of Islam after their 2001 ouster, resumed their terror campaign after rejecting President Ashraf Ghani's request to extend the ceasefire, according to Reuters.
"There are certain countries who do not want peace and stability in Afghanistan and are using various means to create obstacles," he said, adding that Iran will continue its consultations with the government in Kabul.
Asked about reports that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is considering visiting Iran in July, Qasemi said no official source has informed Iran about such a trip.
Citing Japanese government sources, Kyodo News recently reported that the planned visit would be part of Abe's trip to Europe and the Middle East slated for mid-July.
If realized, it will be the first trip by a sitting Japanese prime minister since Takeo Fukuda visited Tehran in 1978.
