Washington: US President Barack Obama spoke yesterday with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rowhani by telephone in the first talks between US and Iranian leaders since the 1979 Islamic revolution and Obama held out the prospect that crippling economic sanctions could be eased.
Speaking at the White House shortly after the historic call, Obama said his discussion with Rowhani had shown the “basis for resolution” of the dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme.
The conversation, in which Obama communicated his “unique respect for the Iranian people”, capped a week of diplomatic breakthroughs. Rowhani ended a five-day visit to New York for the UN General Assembly with an offer to work fast to defuse tensions with America, hailing the US as “a great nation”.
Agencies
