Islam Times - White House claims about talks with Iran, election ploy: Lawmaker

Islam Times - A senior Iranian lawmaker says the US recent announcement of willingness to hold bilateral talks with Iran is only a campaign trick aimed at boosting Barack Obama’s chances of re-election.

“Raising topics by the White House about talks with Iran is a propaganda and election trick that Obama does to increase his votes in the upcoming US presidential election,” Chairman of the Majlis (parliament) Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy Alaeddin Boroujerdi told ISNA on Friday.

He added that Obama is not in a favorable condition to win votes in the upcoming election and therefore employs every possible means to garner support from the voters.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said on October 23 that Washington is open to having bilateral negotiations with Iran, but that the two countries have not scheduled any negotiations.

“We have been open to considering negotiations that are bilateral, but we have not scheduled and we have no agreements with the Iranians to do that,” Carney said.

The comments came as Washington has blocked the possibility of holding logical negotiations with Tehran by imposing illegal and inhumane sanctions against the Islamic Republic.