MP urges reaction to Wendy Sherman�s insulting comments

TEHRAN (Tasnim) � A top US state department official has insulted the Iranian nation and the country�s foreign diplomacy apparatus should not remain silent about this affront, said an Iranian Parliament presiding board member on Tuesday.
US State Department�s third ranking official and the nuclear negotiator in Iran-G5+1 nuclear talks, Wendy Sherman said on Thursday, �We know that deception is part of the DNA in Iran.

The Iranian MP Mohammad Hassan Asafari�made the comment in an interview with Tasnim News Agency. He added, �I believe the US administration should control its statespersons� behavior so that they would not utter such harsh and derogatory comments.�

He said that the Islamic Republic has already proved its good will, and if the Americans would keep on pursuing their "hypocritical and harsh policies," Iran, too, would accordingly alter its heroic flexibility approach.

Further criticizing the top US diplomat�s insulting anti-Iranian remark, Asafari said, �Through such actions and harsh, insulting stances against the Iranian nation, the Americans only heighten the wall of mistrust between the two sides.�

The US State Department�s third ranking official, also said in an address to the US Senate�s Foreign Relations Committee that the anti-Iranian sanctions �should not disappear anytime soon,� disregarding the Iranian nuclear team�s insistence on lifting the illegally imposed sanctions in return for proposals made by Tehran to ensure the West on the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.

Her comments come days after�Tehran and the Group 5+1 -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany -- held a two-day meeting in the Swiss city of Geneva on October 15-16. During the two-day talks, Iran presented a three-step plan with the aim of bringing the standoff over the Islamic Republic�s peaceful nuclear program to an end.

After the talks the White House said Iran had shown a greater level of "seriousness and substance" than ever before at the two days of talks in Geneva.

By Tasnim News Agency

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For those always doubtful, this is the full article in LA Times quoting the fascist Yankee official:
latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-state-congress-iran-sanctions-20131003,0,1909747.story
latimes.com
State Dept. official urges Congress to delay new Iran sanctions

By Paul Richter

2:14 PM PDT, October 3, 2013

WASHINGTON � A senior U.S. diplomat urged Congress to delay tough new Iran sanctions legislation until after upcoming negotiations on Iran�s nuclear program for fear of undermining the talks.

Wendy Sherman, the State Department�s third-ranking official, told senators Thursday morning she would prefer a delay so that she could tell Iranian negotiators at the mid-October meeting in Geneva that �this is your chance� to propose an acceptable deal to curb Iran�s disputed nuclear program.

�We do believe it would be helpful for you to at least allow this meeting to happen on the 15th and 16th of October before moving forward to consider these new sanctions,� Sherman, the undersecretary of State for political affairs, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

She said the administration doesn�t necessarily object to new sanctions, and would be willing to work with Congress after the meeting to determine what kind of sanctions might build additional pressure on Iran. She stopped short of endorsing the pending legislation.

The negotiators will meet in Geneva for another attempt at a deal following weeks of conciliatory overtures from each side. President Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke on the phone Friday about the new diplomatic effort after years of stalemate.

The administration has been wary about Congress� desire to keep hitting Iran�s economy with new sanctions, fearing too much pressure could threaten the international coalition that is now cooperating with sanctions.

But administration officials have been happy to use the threat of sanctions to try to build pressure on Iran to agree to a nuclear deal, provided it doesn�t go too far and make Tehran unwilling to deal.

Sherman said administration officials will be happy after the meeting to �go back and look at what pressure needs to be added.�

A House bill that was passed in July and is now pending in the Senate is the toughest sanctions bill ever passed by the House. It would cut Iran�s oil exports, which provide 80% of government revenue, almost to zero.

Asked about the administration�s negotiating strategy, Sherman said officials wouldn�t lift major sanctions �any time soon� but might offer the Iranians other short-term relief if it took steps to delay its nuclear program.

�The fundamental large sanctions that we have in place should not disappear anytime soon, unless all of our concerns are addressed by the Iranians,� she said.

Sherman said officials were looking for steps that the Iranians could take to �build confidence� and provide time for negotiations, without allowing Iran an opportunity to keep pushing ahead with the program.

She said of the Iranians: �we know that deception is part of the DNA.�