TEHRAN – In his first reaction to the victory of Joe Biden in the United States presidential election, Iran’s chief diplomat urged the new leadership in the U.S. to try a different policy toward Iran.

“The American people have spoken. And the world is watching whether the new leaders will abandon disastrous lawless bullying of outgoing regime—and accept multilateralism, cooperation & respect for law,” Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet on Sunday afternoon.

The American people have spoken.

And the world is watching whether the new leaders will abandon disastrous lawless bullying of outgoing regime—and accept multilateralism, cooperation & respect for law.

Deeds matter most

Iran's record: dignity, interest & responsible diplomacy.

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) November 8, 2020

The foreign minister added, “Deeds matter most. Iran's record: dignity, interest & responsible diplomacy.”

Zarif’s tweet came after leading news media outlets in the U.S. announced that Biden has defeated Donald Trump in the November election.  

Over the past weeks, Iranian officials have said that there was no difference between Trump and Biden and that the result of the U.S. election is unlikely to change Iran’s policies.

On Saturday, Ali Rabiei, the Iranian government spokesman, reiterated this position.

“The Supreme Leader said whoever becomes U.S. president will have no bearing on our policies. Mr. Rouhani, too, echoed the same, saying who is elected as president in the United States is not important to us, but what is important is the approach that the U.S. adopts,” said Rabiei, adding, “These remarks do not mean ignorance of potential differences in behavior that different U.S. presidents might exhibit; rather, the comments are a testament to the principles which have driven our foreign policy in recent years, especially after the eleventh [Iranian] administration took office.”

Rabiei also called on Biden to change tack and try a different policy toward Iran. He said the Trump administration pulled out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and that the next person who would take the rein at the White House can change tack and adopt an approach unlike that of Trump “who tried to associate his war on the JCPOA with Iranians’ livelihoods, health and welfare.”

SM/PA