Iran may hold talks if shown respect, international rules followed, says Rouhani

President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday suggested that Iran may be willing to hold talks if the United States showed respect and followed international rules, but Tehran would not be pressured into negotiations, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

Tehran has repeatedly denounced Washington’s withdrawal from Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers as a breach of international regulations and rejected US sanctions as efforts to bully the Islamic Republic into agreeing to talks toward a new accord.

“We are for logic and talks if (the other side) sits respectfully at the negotiating table and follows international regulations, not if it issues an order to negotiate,” Rouhani said, according to Fars.

On Friday, the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council called on Iran to reconsider its role in the region, the Secretary-General of the Arab League told reporters following the conclusion of two emergency summits held in Mecca.

“The emergency Arab League Summit in Mecca called on Iran to reconsider its role in the region,” Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit said.