Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said his country is approaching weekend peace talks with goodwill and readiness to come to a deal.
But he also expressed mistrust toward the U.S. after the last round of talks about Iran’s nuclear program, which appeared to be progressing, became a prelude to unexpected attacks.
“Unfortunately, our experience of negotiating with the Americans has always been accompanied by failure and breaches of commitments,” Ghalibaf said upon arrival to Islamabad ahead of peace talks with the U.S., according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf looking at the photos of the children killed in Madrasa Minab in Iran, while aboard a plane on his way to Pakistan. AFP – Getty Images
He continued, “Twice within less than a year, in the middle of negotiations, despite the goodwill of the Iranian side, they attacked us and committed multiple war crimes.”
The speaker offered hope, but clearly expressed wariness, according to the Tasnim report.
“We have goodwill,” Ghalibaf said. “But we do not have trust.”
Still, he said that Iran is ready to come to an agreement if the U.S. shows readiness.
“In the upcoming negotiations, if the American side is ready for a genuine agreement and to grant the rights of the Iranian nation, they will see readiness for agreement from us as well,” he said. “However, in the current war we have shown them that if they intend to use negotiations as a fruitless display or a deceptive operation, we are prepared to realize our rights with faith in God and reliance on the strength of our nation.”