President Hassan Rouhani. Photo: Iranian government.

JNS.org – While the U.S. expresses a continued willingness for direct negotiations over the Iran nuclear program, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an elite military force whose role is to protect Iran’s Islamic system of governance, issued a cautionary note about diplomacy with America.

“Historical experiences make it necessary for the diplomatic apparatus of our country to carefully and skeptically monitor the behavior of White House officials so that the righteous demands of our nation are recognized and respected by those who favor interaction,” the IRGC said in a statement.

U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes on Friday said that while a face-to-face meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the U.N. General Assembly had not been scheduled, America is “open to bilateral discussions with the Iranians at a range of levels.”