Iran said Monday it sees no major change in US policy towards Tehran as the Bush government gets ready to start a new term in office.
Government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh instead warned that Iran would "use the language of force" after President George W. Bush said last week he could not rule out using force against Tehran's nuclear program. "We will use the same language if anyone chooses to use a language of force and threats against us. But if they opt to engage in dialogue without any precondition on an equal footing, we will consider that," he told reporters, according to IRNA.
"However, given that the American government has started its new term with threats, it is clear that no major change has occurred in the Americans' policy," he added.
Ramezanzadeh played down US threats, saying, "It is now 26 years that we have got used to American threats." "Neither is America in a position to have the capacity to attack us, nor are we in a position in which anyone would dare to attack us,"he said.
The official noted that US threats were "probably" aimed at torpedoing Iran's dialogue with the Europeans.
