{"id":379,"date":"2020-11-30T01:24:18","date_gmt":"2020-11-30T01:24:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiofree.org\/?p=128819"},"modified":"2020-11-30T01:24:18","modified_gmt":"2020-11-30T01:24:18","slug":"iranian-government-says-diplomacy-still-possible-even-amid-revenge-calls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2020\/11\/30\/iranian-government-says-diplomacy-still-possible-even-amid-revenge-calls\/","title":{"rendered":"Iranian Government Says Diplomacy Still Possible, Even Amid Revenge Calls"},"content":{"rendered":"
An Iranian government spokesman said diplomacy is still possible, even as others in the country called for revenge after the targeted assassination of nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.<\/p>\n
Government spokesman Ali Rabiei on November 29 said that \u201cwe should definitely not fall into this trap [of early military action or giving up on diplomacy].\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier, Iranian President Hassan Rohani stressed that the country will seek its revenge in “due time” and not be rushed into a “trap.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rohani is considered by many to be among the more moderate figures in the country and likely to be looking toward possibly returning to the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement that Iran signed with six world powers, including the United States.<\/p>\n
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has taken a hard line against Tehran, in 2018 pulled out of the accord and reimposed crippling sanctions on Iran, accusing it of continuing to seek nuclear weapons and of funding extremist activity in the region — allegations Iran has denied.<\/p>\n
The nuclear deal was signed under the administration of Trump\u2019s predecessor, Barack Obama. Joe Biden, who defeated Trump in the recent presidential election and will take office on January 20, was Obama\u2019s vice president when the deal with signed.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, an opinion piece published on November 29 by a hard-line Iranian newspaper called on the country\u2019s leadership to attack the Israeli port city of Haifa if it is determined that Israel carried out the Fakhrizadeh killing.<\/p>\n
The Kayhan newspaper suggested that an assault be carried out in a way that destroys facilities and “also causes heavy human casualties.\u201d<\/p>\n
The comments came a day after Iran\u2019s supreme leader called for retaliation for the assassination of the country\u2019s top nuclear scientist, raising concerns about a new confrontation between Iran and Israel or the United States.<\/p>\n