Iran’s Foreign Ministry expressed displeasure Tuesday with the statement by US President Barack Obama to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, according to which the “military option” still existed regarding Iran.
“We expect the US government to deal with Iran based on a realistic policy and talk to the great Iranian nation with [a language of] respect,” Ministry Spokesperson Marziyeh Afkham during her weekly press conference in the Iranian capital.
She made the remark in response to a question about President Obama’s latest comment repeating the threat of military force against Iran.
A report on official PressTV explained that she was referring to a statement by Obama in his Monday meeting with Netanyahu in Washington, that the US would not take any options, “including [the] military option,” off the table, in its dealings with Iran.
“The American president’s comments came despite recently improved prospects for Iran and the US to settle the Western dispute over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear energy program,” said the official Iranian news outlet. PressTV added that Obama and Iran's President Hassan spoke on the phone and “stressed Tehran and Washington’s political will to swiftly resolve the dispute over Iran’s nuclear energy program, which the United States, Israel and some of their allies falsely claim to include non-civilian components.”
“However, in his meeting with Netanyahu, Obama said Washington will enter negotiations with Tehran with a 'clear eye' and emphasized that it will be in 'close consultation' with Israel and other friends and allies in the region during the process.”
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman stated, “In our viewpoint, the United States is today facing a major test and it remains to be seen how far it will resist the pressure of war mongers.”
The Iranian official added that “the Tel Aviv regime will continue pressuring the US due to Israel’s growing isolation and its anger over the fact that the Iranian administration’s policies have been welcomed at the international level.”
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Jawad Zarif told Iranian TV that "For 22 years, the Zionist regime has been lying by repeating endlessly that Iran will have the atomic bomb in six months.”
"After all these years, the world must understand the reality of these lies and not allow them to be repeated," he said in an interview at the UN building.
Zarif said that "Netanyahu was the most isolated man at the UN" as the Isreali prime minister prepared to give his General Assembly speech.