President Rouhani has called on the world’s nations to be vigilant against “superpower plots”, according to Fars News, the outlet of the Revolutionary Guards.
Rouhani told university professors on Sunday, “We are in a complicated region and world where the super powers are hatching various plots not only against us (Iran), but also against their neighbors and allies.”
Rouhani urged Iranians to distinguish between friends and enemies, “We must recognize the right path. We must identify those who want to target our interests. We must find out the correct way which can lead us towards constructive interaction with the world.”
Fars then notes Rouhani’s policy of engagement, with Iran committed to improvement of relations with the international community and resolution of problems through dialogue.
Other outlets emphasize the engagement line and do not mention “superpower plots”. The Tehran Times headlines, “Confrontation with the World is Not Path to Success: Rouhani”, and quotes the President, “We want to talk to the world; we want to speak with logic and resolve our issues.”
On the eve of technical talks in New York on the comprehensive nuclear agreement, followed by high-level discussions with the 5+1 Powers, Rouhani repeated, “The government will not spare any effort to remove illegal sanctions against Iran.”
Fars emphasizes the Government’s defiance in another article, quoting a Sunday speech by Vice-President Majid Ansari praising Rouhani, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Iranian negotiators:
The generals of Iran’s diplomatic front made the enemies pull back in a breath-taking fight; the first step in the negotiations was victorious and the wall of sanctions cracked….
A part of our (frozen) assets was released and is returning to the country.
The Tehran Times has a less war-like presentation: “This team, through prudence and cleverness, forced the enemy to back down and caused a crack in the ‘wall of sanctions’ and some segments the Iranian assets frozen abroad are being released.”
Iran has received five installments of the $4.5 billion which the US and European countries agreed to unfreeze under November’s interim nuclear agreement.