News Today

I had to follow up on this from yesterday. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected President Barack Obama’s offer for a “new beginning” in relations between Iran and the United States.

Khamenei noted that there would have to be drastic changes in United States foreign policy before the two countries could begin to see eye to eye. Among these included calls to drop “unconditional support” for Israel and criticisms of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“Have you released Iranian assets? Have you lifted oppressive sanctions? Have you given up mudslinging and making accusations against the great Iranian nation and its officials?” Khamenei said in a speech in the northeastern city of Mashhad. “He (Obama) insulted the Islamic Republic of Iran from the first day. If you are right that change has come, where is that change? What is the sign of that change? Make it clear for us what has changed.”

I’m not quite sure what Khamenei meant when he said that Obama insulted Iran on day one. Perhaps it was about that letter that Iran sent the Obama administration congratulating him for his victory. If I remember correctly Obama didn’t respond to the letter.

Khamenei left the idea open of opening up to the United States, although by the time he got through blasting the United States and its actions the crowd was chanting “Death to America.”

“Should you change, our behavior will change, too, ” said Khamenei.

So that’s where this one stands apparently. There doesn’t appear to be much room for compromise on either side. The U.S. certainly won’t do everything Iran wants us to do, and it appears that they’re not interested in doing anything with us if we don’t. I don’t really trust their government (to be fair I don’t really trust mine either) and it’s obvious they don’t trust us. All in all it’s another sticky situation that Obama may possibly have to deal with in the future.

I hope I’m wrong on that.