TEHRAN (IRNA) – Substitute Friday prayers leader of Tehran Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami here Friday castigated Washington’s call for talks with Tehran.

“Iranian nation is the same nation that put all options of former U.S. President George W. Bush under table and into the history’s dust bin.
The U.S. President Barack Obama is now toeing Bush’s line regarding Iran,” Ayatollah Khatami, who is a member of the Experts Assembly, told large groups of Friday prayers worshipers in Tehran University campus.
Elaborating on his address, Ayatollah Khatami said, “Obama claims all Bush’s options against Iran are on table. Another American claims Iran remains the “most active state sponsor of terrorism” in the world and the “immature and newcomer” State Secretary of the U.S. (Hillary Clinton) claims we (the U.S. and its allies) consider tougher sanctions against Iran.”
“Are you after talks? That’s for a long time that the world people are overwhelmed by hearing your (Americans’) empty drums,” he questioned, calling the U.S. claim of talks with Iran “double-standards.”
“You do not want talks!” said the cleric, adding that Americans wish a day to come for them to re-plunder Iran’s wealth but to no avail.
He said the U.S. has not yet changed its policy despite 100 days passing from presidency of Obama, who came to power with the change motto.
“The world knows quite well that Obama has gained no success inside in harnessing financial crisis,” commented Ayatollah Khatami.
On Palestine, he said, the U.S. foreign policy on Palestine during Obama presidency matches those of his predecessors. “Americans always consider themselves committed to supporting Israel. That’s a dark stain in the U.S. diplomacy,” he added.
As for Iraq, Ayatollah Khatami said, “You (Americans) stepped in Iraq with the lip service of guaranteeing security (there) but everybody knows that Americans show green light to terrorists. We have precise information that Americans plan to bring Baathists back to Iraq.”
He noted that terror incidents in Iraq are committed under Americans’ green light and Americans have given terrorists free hand to do whatever they wish.
He concluded that the U.S. plans to prolong its presence in Iraq and that should be taken as a prelude to Americans’ imposing themselves on the Iraqi statesmen.