Iran’s Zarif says US ‘playing a very, very dangerous game’ in Persian Gulf

21 May 2019, 3:39 pm

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Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warns that the United States is risking war by boosting its forces in the Persian Gulf.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif speaks at the Asia Society in New York, on April 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

“Having all these military assets in a small area is in of itself prone to accidents, extreme prudence is required and the United States is playing a very, very dangerous game,” Zarif tells CNN.

He rules out negotiations with the Trump administration unless it shows “respect” and honors its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, which the US left last year.

“We are not willing to talk to people who have broken their promises,” he says. “Iran never negotiates with coercion. You cannot threaten any Iranian and expect them to engage. The way to do it is through respect, not through threats.”