TEHRAN, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- An Iranian lawmaker said Sunday that the U.S. recent talk offer with Iran immediately after passing a bill for fresh sanctions against the Islamic republic is a " political deception," Press TV reported.
"On the one hand they take a step forward and announce their readiness for talks, while on the other hand, they intensify sanctions," Seyyed Sharif Hosseini, a member of the Iranian Majlis (parliament) Presiding Board, was quoted as saying.

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said that the United States was ready for bilateral talks with Iran over the country's nuclear program.

She said the United States was working with members of the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations plus Germany), over Iran's nuclear issue, and also was open to have bilateral negotiations if Tehran was "ever ready."

Also on the day, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved expanded sanctions on Iran's energy, port, shipping and ship- building sectors.

"The U.S. has always followed this double-standard policy and this is the reason that the Islamic republic, which sees U.S. actions clearly, has not entered the talks with this country," the Iranian lawmaker was quoted as saying.

"The U.S. wants to announce to the world that it is ready for talks with Iran and it is the Islamic republic that is not willing to negotiate. The U.S. has long used this kind of political legerdemain," said Hosseini.

Iran is under a number of unilateral Western sanctions on its oil and financial sectors over its controversial nuclear program.

By Xinhua

 

The Iran Project is not responsible for the content of quoted articles.