Iran eager to end hostility with US and reopen embassy in Tehran

According to Swiss television RTS on Thusday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that reopening of the American embassy in Tehran is “not impossible.”

Rouhani was interviewed by RTS after arriving in Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos. Commenting on Geneva II Conference, which is being held in the same country, he said, “To reach an outcome is difficult, but I hope efforts will succeed.”

He hoped that the efforts being exerted in Geneva would be in favour of the Syrian people and hoped they would put an end to the bloodshed in the country. But he expressed doubts that these ends would be achieved.

When asked about remarks by an aide, who said that Syrian cause would not be resolved without Iran, Rouhani said, “Iran is an important country in the region. Its existence could be useful in solving the Syrian issue very quickly.”

Responding to the US Secretary of State John Kerry who said there would be no place for Bashar al-Assad in a future Syria, he said, “I think that the Syrian people will decide the future of their country.”

Commenting on whether peace is possible with the US, Rouhani said, “Everything is based on actions. If the US Administration recognised the rights of the Iranians and created appropriate atmospheres to end hostility, there would be positive results.”

He pointed out to the possibility of restoring normal Iranian-American relations, with both countries having embassies on each other’s soils. When he was asked whether reopening the US embassy was possible, he said, “Reopening the US embassy in Tehran is an issue which is not impossible.”

The conservative president added, “No hostility lasts forever and no friendship lasts forever. Therefore, it is necessary to change hostilities to friendships.” He reiterated the need to develop trust between the Americans and the Iranians.

Rouhani concluded, “Iranians always seek freedom, seek a government close to them and respect them and their religious culture. In the last six months, you have seen a new face of Iran. Iranians want appropriate circumstances to cooperate with the world.”

He reiterated, “This is the openness that the people needed and it will not be open forever.”