The US has rejected a proposal from Iranian officials regarding cooperation between the two nations in fighting against the Islamic State (IS). Tehran was reportedly ready to join forces in exchange for Washington's flexibility on its nuclear program.
Reports of Iran's readiness for joint efforts with the US and its
allies came from senior Iranian officials. The parties, who asked
not to be named, told Reuters that Tehran is willing to cooperate
in the fight against IS, but only if the United States responds
with a more favorable stance on its uranium enrichment program.
"Iran is a very influential country in the region and can
help in the fight against the ISIL (IS/ISIS) terrorists...but it
is a two-way street. You give something, you take
something," a senior Iranian official said on condition of
anonymity, adding that the country's nuclear program is
"peaceful."
When asked about Iran's proposal, a US official said it could not
be accepted.
"The United States will not be in the position of trading
aspects of Iran's nuclear program to secure commitments to take
on ISIL," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.
Last week, Tehran refused Washington's offer to join a global
alliance preparing to combat Islamic State militants. According
to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the US offered
to discuss a coordinated effort against IS, which was rejected by
Iran due to America's “murky intentions.”
Fight with ISIS spreads across globe: How are
roles distributed in that battle?
Iran's nuclear program is currently being discussed on the
sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The
US, UK, France, Germany, China, and Russia are taking part in the
talks.
Other countries have also commented on Iran's willingness to join
the Western fight against IS, which it expressed during nuclear
negotiations.
Ofir Gendelman, spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, called the terms for such cooperation
"absurd."
Iran is fighting ISIS for its own interests. Going easy on Iran's nuclear program so Iran will fight ISIS is absurd. pic.twitter.com/YzlHrWsAMX
— Ofir Gendelman (@ofirgendelman) September 22, 2014
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the current talks
should focus on Iran's nuclear activities and not shift to any
other international issues.
"You must not establish confusion between this question (the
role of Iran in fighting IS) and the question of nuclear weapons
that we are discussing now with the Iranians," Fabius said
on Monday.
The current talks in New York are aimed at helping Iran and the
six nations reach terms of a final nuclear agreement by November
24. Tehran partly froze its uranium enrichment program under a
November 2013 interim deal. In exchange for that, limited Western
sanctions against Iran have been lifted.