Rohani’s correspondence with Obama signifies winds of change in Iran
Haaretz, By Zvi Bar’el | Sep. 18, 2013
détente américano-iranienne ?
▻http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.547648
Has the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei authorized Iranian President Hassan Rohani to conduct direct talks with United States President Barack Obama? Has Rohani agreed to close the uranium enrichment site at Fordo? Will Washington agree to remove some of the sanctions on Iran?
If during the presidential term of Rohani’s predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the actual presentation of such questions would have been met with surprise and mostly of a lack of faith, now it seems the rumors and voices coming from Tehran are actually supporting a chance for significant change. For example, the direct correspondence between presidents Obama and Rohani, which was revealed by Obama, was accompanied by broad exposure in excessive detail in Iran. It was reported that Obama congratulated Rohani on his election as president; and that Rohani responded with warm thanks and also raised other issues for discussion.
When Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was asked whether Rohani intends to meet with senior American officials during his visit to New York for the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, Zarif responded that such meetings were not on Rohani’s schedule — but did not reject the possibility that such meetings could find their way on to his schedule. Furthermore, when Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham was asked whether Khamenei had authorized Rohani to conduct negotiations with the U.S., she gave an evasive answer, saying they had heard of it but have not received any official information.