Iran says it is too early to assess U.S. President Donald Trump because his stance on many issues is not yet fully known.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on January 23 that "we cannot yet have an accurate evaluation of [Trump's] positions" because "unlike the previous presidents...[Trump] is not clear and certain on his views."
Qasemi, in Iran's first official comments on Trump since his January 20 inauguration as president, said that "Trump's views on Islam, Europe, America, and other global issues are not clear, precise, and reassuring, and we need to wait and see how things develop."
The United States and Iran have not had formal diplomatic relations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, after which 52 Americans were held hostage for more than one year.
Trump has severely criticized a 2015 deal between six world powers and Iran that curbs Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions, suggesting it must be renegotiated.
Qasemi also hailed Syria truce talks in Kazakhstan and the fact they were being held by three "major and regional players" -- Iran, Russia, and Turkey.
He said Iran's military role was "unmatched" in aiding the forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's civil war.