President Obama late Thursday marked the Persian holiday of Nowruz with a video message appealing to Iranians to lobby their leaders for a nuclear agreement.
“The days and weeks ahead will be critical,” Obama said. “Our negotiations have made progress, but gaps remain. And there are people, in both our countries and beyond, who oppose a diplomatic resolution. My message to you — the people of Iran — is that, together, we have to speak up for the future we seek.”
Obama’s message marking the holiday, which marks the start of the new year in the Persian calendar, was subtitled in Farsi.
Secretary of State John Kerry and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz have been meeting all week in Lausanne, Switzerland, with their Iranian counterparts, hoping to get agreement on the political outlines of a final deal by Tuesday, the deadline set by international negotiators in November when they agreed to extend an interim deal for six months.
International sanctions on Iran are one of the major remaining sticking points in the talks, with Iranian negotiators wanting them lifted more quickly than the United States and its allies in the “P5+1” group — Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China — are willing to do.
In his video message, Obama alluded to the promise of sanctions relief if Iran agrees to a deal.
“Iran’s leaders have a choice between two paths. If they cannot agree to a reasonable deal, they will keep Iran on the path it’s on today — a path that has isolated Iran, and the Iranian people, from so much of the world, caused so much hardship for Iranian families, and deprived so many young Iranians of the jobs and opportunities they deserve,” he said.
“On the other hand, if Iran’s leaders can agree to a reasonable deal, it can lead to a better path — the path of greater opportunities for the Iranian people. More trade and ties with the world. More foreign investment and jobs, including for young Iranians. More cultural exchanges and chances for Iranian students to travel abroad. More partnerships in areas like science and technology and innovation.”
On Twitter, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded to the president’s message by saying: “Iranians have already made their choice: Engage with dignity. It’s high time for the U.S. and its allies to chose: pressure or agreement.”
