On January 22, President Hassan Rouhani said Iran would respond positively to U.S. actions that help “eradicate animosity” between the two countries. He acknowledged the difficulty in improving U.S.-Iran relations but added that “nothing is impossible” in an interview with Swiss television station RTS. The president arrived in in Davos, Switzerland on January 22 to attend the 44th World Economic Forum.
In an address to the world’s top oil executives, Rouhani called the new U.S.-Iran engagement since his election “a major development since Iran’s Islamic Revolution.” But he said “ruling bodies” in the United States need to accept Iran’s “cultural maturity” and flourishing civilization “not only in words but in actions as well.” The following are tweets based on Rouhani’s interview and speech. Rouhani has acknowledged that his tweets are posted by his “friends.”
On US-Iran relations, actions are key. If the US recognizes rights of the Iranian nation & creates a condition to eradicate animosity...
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 22, 2014…Iran will respond positively. Nonetheless, many difficulties exist in US-Iran relations that will not be resolved in the short-run...
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 22, 2014…but we should all think of resolving issues for a positive future, though it will be very challenging. #WEF2014 http://t.co/VmRmNf6hke
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 22, 2014Difficulties exist in US-Iran past, but nothing is impossible. No animosity is to last forever just like no friendship will last forever
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 22, 2014It'll take a lot of effort, but we should all try to turn animosities into #friendships. Effort by both sides & trust building is required.
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 22, 2014
Engagement between Iran & US has also entered a new phase during the past months, and for the first time, politicians from both countries...
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 23, 2014...have negotiated, exchanged views and have made decisions to resolve differences in relation to the nuclear issue.
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 23, 2014This is a major development since Iran's Islamic Revolution.
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 23, 2014The people of America have also, like other countries, had contact with hundreds of thousands of Iranian entrepreneurs and scientists...
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 23, 2014...in their country's companies and universities, and have witnessed my great nation's cultural maturity and civilizational heritage.
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 23, 2014The Islamic Revolution and the foundation of the Islamic Republic were the result of more than a century of freedom-seeking struggles...
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 23, 2014of the Iranian nation, and this young Republic is growing and flourishing. Therefore, it is necessary that the ruling bodies in the US...
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 23, 2014...accept Iran's historical realities not only in words but in actions as well.
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 23, 2014Click here to watch the RTS interview in French.