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News > World

Iran's Rouhani Says Normal Ties With US Long Way Off

  • Rouhani also hinted a face to face meeting between himself and U.S. President Barack Obama is unlikely in the near future.

    Rouhani also hinted a face to face meeting between himself and U.S. President Barack Obama is unlikely in the near future. | Photo: Reuters

Published 26 September 2015
Opinion

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has told the United Nations a historic nuclear deal doesn't mean ties with the United States have been normalized.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Friday there was "still a long road to travel" before relations between Tehran and Washington would be normalized, despite a historic nuclear deal.

Noting the “situation has certainly changed,” Rouhani praised the nuclear deal reached with world powers earlier this year including the United States.

"If we continue on the path, the road will be paved to further cooperation and collaboration," he said in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

"We can point to the tangibles, the many steps forward, but there is still a long road to travel,” he said.

He also hinted a face to face meeting between himself and U.S. President Barack Obama is unlikely in the near future. The Iranian leader said the two countries should focus on resolving problems “before talking about meetings or handshakes.”

The nuclear deal states that Iran would keep its nuclear program at civilian levels and allow international inspectors to monitor it in exchange for full sanctions relief from the six world powers. The U.S. however is the country with the most nuclear weapons, and the only country to have used them.

While the Iran nuclear deal needed to pass the U.S. Congress, none of the six other negotiating partners needed such legislative approval. Nations that had complied with international sanctions to force Iran to the negotiating table will lift those sanctions once the nuclear inspectors confirm that Iran is complying, which should happen in early 2016.

Last month, dozens of nuclear scientists, former diplomats and policy makers sent a letter to President Obama showing support for the deal and referring to it as “innovative” and “unprecedented” and debunking many arguments against the deal.

RELATED: The West Torments Iran

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