Iran Says U.S. Should Prove Change Of Policy In “Practice”: Spokesman

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Tuesday that the United States should prove its change of policy toward the Islamic republic in ” practice.”

Talking to reporters, Mehmanparast said in his weekly press briefing that “The policies of the United States should be judged on the basis of their practical strategies,” referring to the recent nomination of Chuck Hagel as the next defense secretary by U.S. President Barack Obama.

Republican lawmakers have already stood in line to voice opposition to Obama’s selection of Hagel, raising questions over whether the former senator would be a strong ally of Israel and be tough enough on Iran.

The policies of the United States should be designed so that they could not encourage intervention in other countries’ affairs and warfare against other nations, said Mehmanparast.

Iranian officials have been critical over Obama’s “inaction” concerning the changes in the U.S. policies toward the Islamic republic.

Iran is under a number of successive sanctions by the United States and its Western allies on its oil and financial sectors over its controversial nuclear program.

The West has accused Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons under the guise of its civilian nuclear program, a charge Tehran has consistently denied.

Xinhua