Iran President Faces Backlash Over 'Soft' Stance

The backlash followed the release of an interview with U.S. media personality Tucker Carlson, in which Pezeshkian said Iran had "no problem" resuming talks so long as trust could be rebuilt between the two sides.

His comments came less than a month after Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign on June 13 that killed senior military commanders and nuclear scientists in Iran.

The Israeli attacks took place two days before a planned meeting between Tehran and Washington aimed at reviving nuclear negotiations. The talks have since stalled.

"Have you forgotten that these same Americans, together with the Zionists, used the negotiations to buy time and prepare for the attack?" said an editorial in the hardline Kayhan newspaper, which has long opposed engagement with the West.

The United States, which had been in talks with Iran since April 12, joined Israel in carrying out its own strikes on June 22, targeting Iranian nuclear sites at Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz.

The conservative Javan daily also took aim at Pezeshkian, saying his remarks appeared "a little too soft.”

"We believe the real meaning of a conversation with an American presenter is conveyed when the words reflect the public's anger and total distrust of America," it said.

In contrast, the reformist Ham Mihan newspaper praised Pezeshkian's "positive approach.”

  Trump: US, Iran to hold talks

The criticism came as U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States will hold talks with Iran.

"We have scheduled Iran talks, and they want to talk," Trump told reporters along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

"They've requested a meeting...and if we can put something down on paper, that will be fine. It'll be good," he said, adding: "We'll see what happens."

However, Iranian Foreign Ministry on July 8 denied submitting any request to the U.S. for a meeting.

Source: HDN