Lift sanctions, we will talk after that: Rouhani to Trump

TEHRAN: Iran's president back-pedalled on Tuesday on possible talks with Donald Trump, saying the US president must first lift sanctions imposed on Tehran, otherwise a meeting between the two would be a mere photo op.
Hassan Rouhani's change of heart came a day after Trump said on Monday that there's a "really good chance" the two could meet on their nuclear impasse after a surprise intervention by French President Emmanuel Macron during the G7 summit to try to bring Washington and Tehran together after years of conflict.
"Without the US' withdrawal from sanctions, we will not witness any positive development," Rouhani said on Tuesday, adding that Washington "holds the key" as to what happens next. "If someone intends to make it as just a photo op with Rouhani, that is not possible," he said. Earlier on Monday, Rouhani expressed readiness to negotiate a way out of the crisis following US' pullout from the nuclear deal. "If I knew that going to a meeting and visiting a person would help my country's development and resolve the problems of the people, I would not miss it," he said. "Even if the odds of success are not 90% but are 20% or 10%, we must move ahead with it."
Rouhani also shielded his foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, against criticism from hard-liners over his surprise visit Sunday to France's Biarritz, where leaders of the G7 countries were meeting.
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References

1. ^{^} Iran (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
2. ^{^} Donald Trump (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
3. ^{^} Tehran (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
4. ^{^} Hassan Rouhani (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
5. ^{^} Emmanuel Macron (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
6. ^{^} France (www.happytrips.com)
7. ^{^} Biarritz (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

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