West seeks to shut door to diplomacy: Iran's Rafsanjani

TEHRAN, Aug. 1 (MNA) -- Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has criticized the U.S. stance toward Iran, saying the West is trying to block all diplomatic pathways.

The West will not achieve anything through its hostile policies toward the Islamic Republic, because the world has zero tolerance for another crisis in the region, Rafsanjani said at a meeting of the Expediency Council in Tehran on Saturday.

Iran has stated many times that it is ready to conduct negotiations with the West over its nuclear program, providing that no preconditions are imposed, he added.

Nevertheless the Western powers, and particularly the United States, keep pursuing their hostile policies and attempting to obstruct all pathways of understanding and diplomacy, he stated.

History shows that adopting intransigent and irrational approaches in dealing with issues related to the Middle East and the sensitive region of the Persian Gulf will only exacerbate the situation, he noted.

Rafsanjani also called on the Iranian nation to show self-restraint, saying patience and prudence are required to resolve issues.

In addition, the Expediency Council ratified an amendment to a law on illegal drugs at the meeting.

The new amendment will later be submitted to Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei for final approval.