'Obama letter repeats call for talks with Iran'

Iran: An Iranian parliamentarian says US President Barack Obama's letter to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution repeats proposals for talks between the two countries.

"It is the third letter Obama has sent to Iranian officials and the common theme among all these letters is a request for talks," MP Zohreh Elahian, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of Iran's Majlis (parliament), said on Saturday.

She referred to two other letters Obama has sent to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei over the past two years, which contained similar calls.

"Of course, there might be no response to these letters because the United States carries out colonialist and oppressive actions and defends the Zionist regime [Israel] as its general policy," Elahian stated.

The lawmaker interpreted the letters as a sign that Iran is playing an important role in the international arena, "particularly considering the current situation in the region, which has caused concerns for US officials and Obama himself."

On January 15, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast confirmed that Obama had sent a message to Iran via three different channels, including US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice, Swiss Ambassador to Tehran Livia Leu Agosti, and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

Press TV