Iran says no change in ties with US unless Biden steps off ‘wrong path’

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran says that nothing will change between it and arch-enemy the United States under president-elect Joe Biden unless his administration takes three steps to correct America’s “wrong path.”

Decades-old tensions between Tehran and Washington have escalated since President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and began reimposing sanctions.

Biden, who defeated Trump at the ballot box last week, says during campaigning that he plans to embark on a “credible path to return to diplomacy” with Iran. He also raises the possibility of returning to the nuclear deal.

Iran’s foreign ministry says there is still enough time for the United States to “turn back from this wrong path.”

“We will certainly look closely at the actions and words of the next US administration,” says ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh.

“There are three important changes that must come to be before anything can happen,” he tells a weekly news conference.

They entail a “change in the thought and mentality of US decision-makers, change in words and speech and the type of speech with the world and Iran, and (taking) correct actions, turning back from the wrong path and making up for the past.”

Khatibzadeh denies Iran has had any contact with the incoming US administration, and says Tehran will observe their actions rather than words.

“First, a government must be formed in the US and then take its own actions and we observe it,” he say.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last week that the result of the November 3 presidential election in the United States would have “no effect” on Tehran’s policies towards Washington.

— AFP