DESPARDES — Former Iranian president Ahmadinejad has suggested that President Donald Trump being a “businessman” should be interested in reaching mutually beneficial deals.
“Mr. Trump is a man of action,” Ahmadinejad said, according to The New York Times. “He is a businessman and therefore he is capable of calculating cost-benefits and making a decision. We say to him, let’s calculate the long-term cost-benefit of our two nations and not be shortsighted.”
Ahmadinejad underscored, however, that any deal can only be struck in a benevolent and respectful atmosphere and noted that Washington’s “maximum pressure policy” only discourages negotiations.
“If you choke the throat of anyone in the world and say come and talk, it won’t be valid,” he said. “Negotiations must take place in calmer, more respectful conditions so they can be long lasting.”
Ahmadinejad suggested that, for talks to take place, the US must remove sanctions that Washington reimposed after leaving the Iran nuclear deal.
According to Ahmadinejad, Iran recognizes Trump’s “business” approach to politics and suggests striking deals to achieve a win-win situation.
Iran and the US would both benefit from a diplomatic resolution of the ongoing standoff between the two countries, the former Iranian president said in the interview that appeared in NYT on Friday, underscoring that any resolution must happen in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
