Jerusalem, Sep 30 (IANS) Israeli President Shimon Peres has criticised his Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “scornful” approach towards the developing diplomatic ties between the US and Iran.
On Saturday night, ahead of leaving for the US, Netanyahu said that Iran was using the diplomatic approach as a tactic to “fool” the west while it continues to enrich uranium and that he was going to “expose the truth” of Iran’s “sweet talk” and “onslaught of smiles”, Xinhua reported
The Israeli president dismissed Netanyahu’s approach in an interview to Army Radio Sunday. “You can agree or disagree, but I don’t like this disparaging tone,” Peres told the radio. “Other people have common sense too, not just us,” he added.
“This is not a reason for us not to talk with the Americans and try to affect them. We should talk to one another,” the president said.
Peres also took notice of remarks of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. “It’s not a matter of propaganda but a matter of facts. If Iran will, in fact, change its policy — fine. This is not an oratory competition,” the president added.
Netanyahu is set to meet with US President Barack Obama in the White House Monday, and deliver a speech at the UN General Assembly in New York Tuesday.