Iran demands US action, says it will not accept commitments on paper

Iran will not rely on US commitments on paper as it considers entering a new diplomatic phase with Washington, Ali Baqeri, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has said, according to Fars news agency. Referring to four rounds of negotiations over the past 18 months, Baqeri said Tehran believed the United States had derailed each round through hostile actions and breaches of commitments. “We must see practical actions on the part of the Americans,” he said, describing such steps as necessary before a new chapter in diplomacy could begin. Baqeri also discussed Iran’s cooperation with Russia, saying a recent visit by Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei to Moscow was intended to convey a message from Iran’s leader to President Vladimir Putin.