Just talking, or making progress? Illustrative. Photo Courtesy of UN Photo/Evan Schneider
One of the top Iranian defense officials has flatly rejected any renewal of relations with the United States, saying on Wednesday that Iran “never forgets the wounds” he claimed were given to it by the US, Britain, and their allies. The official, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Massoud Jazzayeri, was quoted by the Fars News Agency as saying that “given the US arrogant nature, there won’t be any resumption of relations with that country” and that current US power would eventually crack before Iran.
Meanwhile, while Jazayeri is delivering strong anti-US rhetoric, the Americans are planning an extra two days in Geneva for the next round of nuclear talks with Iran, which will begin on January 18. US spokesperson Jen Psaki downplayed the early arrival of the US team—which is heading out on January 15—although it is at least a day earlier than they usually generic clonazepam 2mg arrive. Psaki was quoted by a State Department press release as saying that “I wouldn’t over-read into it other than our commitment to having discussions about the technical details and continuing to make progress.”
Jazayeri’s remarks show there is at least vocal resistance among Iran’s elite to making very much progress with the US. Jazayeri has made anti-US statements before. In November, Fars quoted him as even blaming “much” of the Islamic world’s problems on the “arrogant and expansionist performance of the hegemonic powers, headed by the US.”
Words like that haven’t dissuaded the US from trying to reach a nuclear deal with Iran. Psaki was quoted as telling reporters on Wednesday that she thinks the reason for the earlier-than-usual appearance of the Americans at the next round of talks is “there was a decision made that that was warranted now, and it gives an opportunity to have more discussion.”
Psaki noted that the arrival timing “depends” and varies from time-to-time.
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, January 8, 2015)