Iran stands firm in face of new Obama promises
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says he "cannot see any change" in American policy towards Iran
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Saturday, 21, Mar 2009 09:27
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said he "cannot see any change" in American policy towards Iran, despite renewed calls for peace from President Barack Obama.
Mr Obama released a videotaped message to coincide with Nowruz (new day) on Friday - which marks the arrival of spring and the new year in Iran - saying he is looking to a "new beginning" in relations between the two countries.
But Mr Khamenei has poured cold water on the hopeful approach, saying the White House remains a long way from being a friend of Iran despite Mr Obama replacing his more hardline predecessor George W Bush.
"So far we cannot see any change," the Ayatollah said.
"What is the change in your policy?
"Did you remove the sanctions? Did you stop supporting the Zionist regime? Tell us what you have changed. Change only in words is not enough."
Despite his initial stance, however, Mr Khamenei hinted that relations could thaw between Washington and Tehran - who have not had direct diplomatic contact since the hostage crisis in 1979 - if changes are made by the US.
"We have no experience with the new American government and the new American president," the Iranian leader continued.
"We will observe them and we will judge.
"If you change your attitude, we will change our attitude."
Yesterday, Mr Obama's message, posted on the White House website and YouTube, called for a "new beginning" in relations between the two countries.
"At this holiday we are reminded of the common humanity that binds us together," he said.
The video message is the latest in a series of olive branches from Mr Obama to Tehran.
The US remains suspicious of Iran's nuclear programme and last week renewed sanctions against the country amid continued insistence from Tehran its enrichment of uranium is strictly for civilian energy projects.
But Mr Obama's message still reflects a distinct change of policy at the White House; his predecessor George Bush banded Iran into an "axis of evil" including North Korea and Iraq. The Obama administration remains open to the prospect of face-to-face diplomatic talks.
In a direct message to his counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mr Obama said: "The United States wants the Islamic Republic of Iran to take its rightful place in the community of nations.
"You have that right - but it comes with real responsibilities, and that place cannot be reached through terror or arms, but rather through peaceful actions that demonstrate the true greatness of the Iranian people and civilisation.
"And the measure of that greatness is not the capacity to destroy, it is your demonstrated ability to build and create."
In an immediate response, a spokesman for Mr Ahmadinejad's office welcomed the message and a call for a new beginning in relations.
"But the way to do that is not by Iran forgetting the previous hostile and aggressive attitude of the United States," spokesman Ali Akbar Javanfekr told the AFP news agency.
"The American administration has to recognise its past mistakes and repair them as a way to put away the differences."