Iran To U.S.: "You Change, Our Behavior Will Change"

[Purveyor]

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday U.S. President Barack Obama's offer of better ties was just a "slogan," but pledged Tehran would respond to any real policy shift by Washington.

Speaking a day after Obama's videotaped overture, Iran's most powerful figure criticized U.S. actions toward Iran since its 1979 Islamic revolution and said he did not see any change in practice from the new U.S. administration so far.

But Khamenei, who has final say on all matters of state, added: "You change, our behavior will change."

Indicating areas where Iran wants a different U.S. approach, he said the United States was "hated in the world" and should stop interfering in other countries' internal affairs.

He also spoke of "oppressive sanctions" imposed on the Islamic Republic, Iranian assets frozen in the United States and Washington's backing of Israel, which Tehran does not recognize.

"They give the slogan of change but in practice no change is seen ... We haven't seen any change," Khamenei told a big crowd at Shi'ite Muslim Iran's most prominent religious shrine in the northeastern city of Mashhad.

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REUTERS: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSDAH12844520090321

[Deja Q]

1. Well, show of hands to anybody who thinks Iran has made any positive change.

Why not be the bigger country and make the first positive move, Iran...?

[USA_1]

2. We Have Enough Problems Of Our Own

We have no business dealing in Iran's affairs. The pathetic example set by Bush and his stupid intrusion into Iraq proves that we should just mind our own business.

[bird gerhl]

3. "They give the slogan of change...

but in practice no change is seen... We haven't seen any change"

Too true.

[endersdragon34]

4. And if we don't change...

Are they just going to go ahead with their plans to wipe Isreal off the face of the earth?

[Traveling_Home]

5. No that happens any way, even if we change, nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. One of the MIC's favorite bogeymen speaks.

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. If the USA reduced it's military presence around the globe equal to all other countries combined

.
.
.

That would be a change for the better.

Iran is NOT the only country concerned with the USA having it's War-Machine present in every hemisphere of the globe

Iran is NOT the only country tired of the USA meddling in other countries affairs

and so on . .

Iran has a point here.

Maybe it's time to listen;

regardless where it comes from.

[chrisa]

8. We're part of the problem.

Foreign entanglements.