Iranian Foreign Minister says his country sent a response via Oman to Trump’s letter calling for new nuclear deal: Our policy is still to not engage in direct negotiations, but indirect negotiations can continue.
Iran has sent a response via Oman to US President Donald Trump’s letter in which Trump urged Tehran to negotiate a new nuclear deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told the official IRNA news agency on Thursday.
“Our policy is still to not engage in direct negotiations while under maximum pressure and military threats, however, as it was the case in the past, indirect negotiations can continue,” Araqchi said, according to IRNA.
Earlier on Thursday, Kamal Kharrazi, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stated that Tehran has not completely ruled out resolving its disputes with the United States and is open to indirect negotiations with Washington, Reuters reported.
“The Islamic Republic has not closed all doors. It is ready for indirect negotiations with the United States in order to evaluate the other party, state its own conditions and make the appropriate decision,” Kharrazi was quoted as having said.
“Our response includes a letter in which we detailed our views on the current situation and Mr. Trump’s letter,” Araqchi added on Thursday.
Axios reported last week that Trump’s letter included a two-month deadline for Iran to reach an agreement or face harsher sanctions as part of Washington’s renewed “maximum pressure” campaign.
Khamenei swiftly dismissed the US offer, calling it “a deception” and arguing that engaging in talks with the Trump administration would “tighten the knot of sanctions and increase pressure on Iran.”
Earlier this week, Araqchi said Iran would be open to engaging in indirect talks with the United States, but stressed “there is no chance for direct talks until there is a change in the other side’s approach towards the Islamic Republic.”
During his first term from 2017 to 2021, Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 deal between Iran and world powers, which had imposed strict limits on Tehran’s controversial nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran has expanded its nuclear activities in recent years, following Trump’s decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal.
In its latest step to advance its nuclear program, Iran recently informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its intention to “significantly increase” its production of uranium enriched up to 60 percent.
