Eat it or else..

I was reading the above linked CNN article about talks with Iran, which made some interesting points, when I came across this statement:

As for the incentives package, (Iran's Ambassador) Zarif said a "carrot-and-stick" approach is not the way to proceed with negotiations.

"It's not whether Iran likes carrots," he said. "Iran likes respect. Iran demands respect. If there is to be a solution in Iran, Iran has to be part of the solution. We don't expect others to cook for us something and then present it to us and then tell us, 'Eat it or else.' This is not the way Iranians do international business."

Last week, Ahmadinejad scoffed at a European incentives package that would have provided Iran with a light-water nuclear reactor and other considerations in exchange for it giving up its enrichment program.

"Do you think you are dealing with a 4-year-old child to whom you can give some walnuts and chocolates and get gold from him?" Ahmadinejad said during a speech last week in central Iran.

One the one hand I realize Iran wants bigger incentives, yet on the other hand I do realize that the US does show any respect for other nations at times. People can try to state that it's because Iran is not worthy of respect yet the bully attitude doesn't help the majority of situations. Ahmadinejad does't want to come across to his citizens that he meekly agreed to whatever the UN/US wants, nor does the US want to come across as "giving in". There has to be a middle line somewhere and perhaps that's what we should spend a bit more time looking for. Or I predict another repeat of the whole North Korea discussions where not much is accomplished.