Iran urges U.S. to drop "psychological war": spokesman

Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-26 21:08:30|Editor: Yurou
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TEHRAN, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Monday asked the U.S. officials to drop "psychological and propaganda war" against Iran.

The United States pursues this policy to prevent the global community and the Europeans from forging closer relations with the Islamic republic, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said.

However, "the Americans policy vis-a-vis Iran has been exposed to everybody and the global community decides based on their own interests," Qasemi said in his weekly press conference.

The U.S. reiteration of their anti-Iran rhetoric is a sign of defeat in its policies, said Qasemi.

"We are in negotiations with a number of countries for the expansion of economic ties," he said, adding that in the meantime "we advise the Americans to drop such (hostile) policies and incorporate wisdom in their policy-making."

Trump has constantly criticized the nuclear pact inked between Iran and Russia, Britain, France, China, the United States and Germany in 2015, which promised to relieve sanctions on Tehran in exchange for a halt in Iran's efforts to develop nuclear program.

U.S. President Donald Trump has laid out areas where he wants cooperation with the Europeans to put together a united front on demanding what he has called "the change of behavior of the Iranians."

The areas include alleged human rights violations, cyber threats and financial activities of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.

Trump had earlier demanded the nuclear deal be altered to eliminate sunset clauses for some of the restrictions it places on Iran, and harden the inspection rules and to limit development of Iran's long-range missiles.

On Sunday, Iranian foreign minister rejected as "improper" the conditions set by the United States for upholding Iran's international nuclear agreement.

The United States as a party to the multilateral 2015 agreement cannot reset conditions for the deal, Mohammad Javad Zarif said.

"They have previously set some conditions that were improper. Their new conditions are improper as well," Zarif said.

The United States is attempting to elude its commitments through making such demands, Zarif said.

Iran said it would not take any measures beyond its commitment to the JCPOA (or the nuclear deal), nor will it accept changes to this agreement.

Iran has threatened to likely withdraw from the nuclear deal if it cannot receive economic benefits.

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