FM Araghchi: Iran weighing whether to attend next talks with US
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Iran is considering whether to participate in the next round of indirect nuclear negotiations with the US.
Araghchi said on Wednesday that the Iranian delegation is reviewing the proposed time and venue of the 5th round of talks even as he emphasized the country’s resolve to confront excessive US demands.
His remarks came after US reports said the next round of talks was expected to take place “at the weekend” in Rome.
“We are considering whether to partake in the next round of negotiations,” Araghchi said.
“We are still investigating whether useful and beneficial negotiations can be held on that date and in that location,” he added.
Contradictory statements by US officials, including their demand for “zero enrichment” by Iran, has left the fate of negotiations in limbo.
Araghchi underlined that Tehran has previously responded to “unreasonable requests”, saying Iran would by no means halt its uranium enrichment program.
“We have already responded to unreasonable requests, and these unusual statements do not help advance the talks,” Araghchi said.
“Our position is completely clear; enrichment, whether with or without an agreement, will continue,” he added.
Araghchi said, “I the parties are willing to have transparency regarding Iran’s peaceful program, we are ready.”
“However there must be a discussion about lifting the cruel sanctions that have been imposed due to claims about our nuclear program, and these sanctions must be removed.”
On Sunday, Araghchi warned the United States against making “unrealistic demands” in talks, saying they were “completely detached from the reality of negotiations.”
Iran has held four rounds of indirect talks with the US on a replacement for the 2015 deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which have been generally described as positive by the two sides.
In 2018, US President Donald Trump walked out of the landmark agreement between Iran and several other countries that gave it sanctions relief in return for confidence-building restrictions on its nuclear activities.
Iran now wants guarantees that the US will remove all the sanctions and won’t again unilaterally derail the new deal.
