Obama New Year Greeting to Iranian People Includes Warning
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SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — On the eve of his first trip to Israel as commander in chief, President Obama delivered a message to the people of the Israelis’ sworn enemy, Iran.
In what has become a traditional video on Nowruz, the Iranian new year, Obama said the U.S. is open to forming “a new relationship” with Iran, providing its leaders finally show transparency about its rogue nuclear program.
While Tehran is insistent that its nuclear ambitions are solely for peaceful purposes, the president argued that Iran has not provided convincing proof of that claim to the international community.
Obama explained that Iran remains isolated because of the refusal of Iranian leaders to reveal their true intentions or to negotiate in good faith with the U.S. and other super powers who are demanding it freeze its enrichment of uranium — a key step in developing atomic weapons.
If Iran decides to fully disclose everything about it nuclear capabilities, then the president said, ”The Iranian people will begin to see the benefits of greater trade and ties with other nations, including the United States.”
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