Iranian President says he’s seen no differences between Biden and Trump administrations

During an interview with 60 Minutes, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi expressed hesitance about any future nuclear deal with the United States.

While speaking with Lesley Stahl, Raisi also seemed to criticize the Biden administration, saying that he saw no difference between them and the Trump administration.

“You’re off to New York. You’re going to speak to the United Nations,” Stahl said to Raisi during the interview. “You know, President Biden is going to be there. Are you open to a meeting with President Biden? A face-to-face?”

“No. I don’t think that such a meeting would happen,” Raisi said, after the question was translated. “I don’t believe having a meeting or a talk with him will be beneficial.”

“What do you think the difference is for you, from your perspective,” Stahl asked, “between the Trump administration and the Biden administration?”

“The new administration in the U.S., they claim that they are different from the Trump administration,” Raisi said. “They have said it in their messages to us. But we haven’t witnessed any changes in reality.”

Stahl spoke with Raisi for an hour, where he advised her on how to dress in Iran and also cautioned her not to take a seat before the President.

The interview prompted several public figures to tweet about Mahsa Amini, including American actress Leah Remini. Amini was a 22-year-old Iranian woman who was killed by authorities after her arrest.

“Mahsa Amini has died after being tortured into a coma by Iranian authorities. Her mother said, ‘Let the world know they killed my daughter.’ Authoritarian leaders hope people get distracted and move on. So let’s continue to share her name and her story,” said Remini.