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Trump says Iranian leadership ‘wants to meet’
WASHINGTON, Sept 13, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – President Donald Trump on Thursday
said he believes that Iran’s leadership wants a meeting, adding to
expectations that he is trying to arrange a summit with his Iranian
counterpart at the upcoming UN assembly.
“I can tell you that Iran wants to meet,” he told reporters at the White
House.
Trump has repeatedly indicated he is ready to meet with President Hassan
Rouhani, who is expected to attend the UN General Assembly in New York this
month. However, the Iranians have so far not given a positive response.
On Wednesday, Rouhani blasted the Trump administration, which has poured
pressure on Iran, saying “the Americans must understand that bellicosity and
warmongering don’t work in their favor. Both… must be abandoned.”
Arch-foes Tehran and Washington have been at loggerheads since May last
year when Trump unilaterally withdrew from a 2015 nuclear deal and began
reimposing the punitive measures.
Iran responded by scaling back its commitments to the accord, which gave it
the promise of sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear program.
However, some analysts see hope for more compromise following this week’s
exit of Trump’s hardline national security advisor John Bolton.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0921 hrs