Tehran, YJC. Hassan Rohani believes that instead of negotiations with Europe, Iran had better make deal with the US which he believes is the sheriff.
Speaking
in a question-and-answer session in Sharif University, Hassan Rohani said "The
US is an international superpower and Iran is a regional power. The two
countries have not been in good relations in the past 34 years, because they
have interests which are not in line with interests of the Islamic Republic.”
He
asserted "We have disagreements with the US on regional and international
matters, but obviously friendship or hostility with the world is not permanent.
Every country can improve its relations with others. Accordingly, in the
foreign relations there is no talk of zero or one hundred. So, it would be the
best if we manage to turn a threat into loss, and the loss into an opportunity.
Of course negotiating with the US is possible, but a tough job.”
Hassan
Rohani stated that negotiating with the US is easier than negotiating with
Europe, saying "Many Europeans will need permissions, but the American are, as
the saying goes, the sheriff. So it would be easier if we rather hammer things
out with the sheriff than deal with lesser authorities. Now that in his New
Year speech the Supreme Leader opened the way, the next administration must
develop situations from those of enmity to those of tension, meanwhile
complying with what his notions of the forbidden zones.”