Iran’s newly-elected president mentioned on Monday that he wouldn’t meet with President Joe Biden nor negotiate Tehran’s ballistic missile program and assist for regional militias, following his resounding victory in final week’s election, in a tricky place.
Judiciary chief Ibrahim Raisi additionally described himself as a “defender of human rights” when requested about his involvement within the 1988 mass executions of practically 5,000 folks. It has for the primary time been positioned on the spot on dwell tv at that darkest second in Iranian historical past on the finish of the Iran–Iraq War.
“The United States is obliged to lift all repressive sanctions against Iran,” Raisi advised a information convention.
Raisi sat in entrance of a sea of ​​microphones, most of which have been house to militias backed by Iran and Tehran. He appeared nervous at first of the feedback however slowly loosened up within the hour-long information convention.
Asked about Iran’s ballistic missile program and its assist for regional militias, Raisi described the problems as “non-negotiable”.
Iran’s newly elected President Ibrahim Raisi speaks throughout a information convention in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 21, 2021. (AP)
Tehran’s fleet of assault planes dates again lengthy to the Islamic Revolution of 1979, which compelled Iran to put money into missiles towards its regional Arab neighbors, who’ve purchased billions of {dollars} in US navy {hardware} over time. Iran additionally depends on militias resembling Yemen’s Houthis and Lebanon’s Hezbollah to counterbalance towards enemies resembling Saudi Arabia and Israel, respectively.
Upon assembly Biden, Raisey merely replied: “No.” His average opponent within the election, Abdolnasar Hemmati, recommended throughout the marketing campaign that he would doubtlessly be focused on assembly Biden.
The White House didn’t instantly reply to Raisi’s statements on Monday.
Raisi, a refugee of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been partially cleared by the US for his involvement within the mass executions. His victory in voting final Friday was among the many lowest within the historical past of the Islamic Republic. Millions of Iranians stayed at house in defiance of a vote they noticed in favor of Raisi.
Of those that voted, 3.7 million folks both unintentionally or deliberately canceled their ballots, a a lot larger than the quantity seen in earlier elections and a few recommended not one of the 4 candidates wished to. In the official outcomes, Raisi obtained a complete of 17.9 million votes, about 62% of the overall of 28.9 million votes.
Raisi’s election has saved hardliners firmly underneath management all through the federal government as talks in Vienna search to salvage a broken-down settlement to restrict Iran’s nuclear program at a time when Tehran is at its highest. Enriched to 60% uranium, although nonetheless of low weapons-grade ranges. Representatives of world powers concerned within the deal returned to their capitals for consultations after the newest spherical of talks on Sunday.
Top diplomats from the nations concerned within the talks mentioned additional progress had been made on Sunday between Iran and international powers to attempt to restore the historic 2015 settlement to halt Iranian nuclear growth deserted by the Trump administration. He mentioned it was now as much as the governments concerned within the talks to take political choices.
Raisi’s election victory has raised issues that it might complicate a potential withdrawal of the nuclear deal.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
