Iranian officials reiterate the country is not going to talk to the US

Tabnak – Despite imposing increasing pressures on Iran by the means of sanctions, the US claims it wants to enter new talks with the Islamic Republic. While reiterating Iran’s position on resisting the American pressures, Iranian officials dismiss speculations on any ongoing talks between Tehran and Washington.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the United States has failed on every path it has taken against Iran. President Rouhani told a large crowd of people in the northeastern city of Shirvan, in North Khorasan Province, on Sunday that whatever Washington had tried against Iran, including “the harshest of sanctions” — had wound up in failure.

“It’s been 14 months that the world’s largest economic and military power has been imposing the harshest of sanctions against the Iranian nation, sanctions that would have taken any other nation down,” the Iranian president said. “But the heroic, vigilant, and resistant nation of Islamic Iran has firmly withstood those sanctions over this period.”

“Whatever path the Americans took — be it social, political, and legal — led to failure,” President Rouhani said. He cited recent meetings of the United Nations (UN) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where the US failed to advance its agenda against Iran.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry dismissed rumors about mediation by some countries for launch of Iran-US talks, saying there are no negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi denied reports that the US has asked Russia to pass on a message calling for negotiations with Iran at the level of foreign ministers. “The Islamic Republic of Iran is not involved in any negotiations with the American officials at any level,” the spokesman underlined.

On the other hand, and in response to frequent American threats of resorting to the military option against Tehran, Iran’s Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi warned that Iran’s reaction to any military attack would not be confined to defense alone and will draw a devastating strike.

Addressing a military ceremony in Iran’s northwestern city of Tabriz on Sunday, Major General Mousavi stressed the need for growing combat preparedness in order to boost the country’s offense power after an initial defense in case of foreign attacks.

“We have not been and will not be the first side to start a war, however, we do not rely only upon defense (if Iran comes under attack),” the commander said.

“Initially, we would start with defense at the launch of an attack from the enemy, but our offense power and our capability to deal blows after the start of the attack by the aggressors would be devastating and make them regret (their move),” he underscored.