Saying that Tehran is open to building trust regarding the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi underlined that uranium enrichment inside the country would remain a red line for Iran.
Araghchi attended a press conference to answer the questions raised by the journalists on the outcome of Friday’s nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington in Muscat.
Saying that Iran will make a decision on the continuation of talks after evaluating the US’s seriousness, Araghchi stressed that if a decision is made to continue talks with Washington, it will remain merely focused on nuclear issues.
He further noted that the time and location of the possible next round will be determined in consultation with the Foreign Minister of Oman. “The location may change, as it did in the previous round.”
Reiterating Iran’s stance on the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, the top Iranian diplomat underlined, “Enrichment is and will be for peaceful purposes. We have no problem building trust. But we would not accept zero [uranium] enrichment.”
Touching on Iran’s initiatives in the negotiations, Araghchi underlined that the only similarity between this round of talks and the previous one is their format—being indirect, held in Muscat, and facilitated and mediated by Oman. “In other respects, there are fundamental differences. The Islamic Republic of Iran has drawn important lessons from both the previous war and the negotiations, and we are now negotiating with our eyes open, fully conscious of everything that has taken place.”
“This round [of talks] was largely a test of how much the other side could be trusted. The other side claimed that they, too, were assessing the level of seriousness,” Araghchi noted.
He stressed that if a conclusion is reached that genuine seriousness exists, the negotiations will continue, adding that there are some indications of the other side’s seriousness and others suggesting somehow the opposite. “All of these signals will be assessed together,” he said.
Araghchi went on to say that there was no direct meeting with the US delegation on Friday, but there was a brief encounter—an interaction in the spirit of diplomatic courtesy. “It was limited to a handshake and basic formalities. Yes, similar instances had occurred in the past as well. In all previous rounds, the negotiations were conducted indirectly; only when the delegations were entering or leaving would we come face to face.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, Araghchi emphasized that a fair approach is essential in reaching a deal. “I have said many times that the format of negotiations is not decisive. Indirect negotiations are a common and accepted practice in international relations and do not constitute an obstacle to reaching an agreement. What paves the way to an agreement is avoiding excessive demands and moving toward a respectful understanding based on mutual interests.”
He said that while European countries had been involved in the past, this time, regional states are playing a role, adding that regional countries are seeking to help and that their goodwill is respected. He noted that regional countries made serious efforts to encourage both sides to resume negotiations, including seven rounds of consultations and contacts with President Pezeshkian, as well as his own multiple talks with regional foreign ministers.
The Iranian foreign minister expressed the view that a regional initiative could strengthen the sustainability of any agreement, even if it cannot fully guarantee it. Referring to his visit to Doha, he said it provided an opportunity to meet with Qatar’s foreign minister. He described regional involvement in support of the talks as positive and said consultations would continue, alongside ongoing coordination with Russia and China, both of which have been kept informed of the negotiation process.
Commenting on the presence of the CENTCOM commander at the talks and on missile and regional issues, Araghchi said that missile capabilities and regional matters are not, and have never been, on the negotiation agenda. “The talks are solely about the nuclear issue and will continue in the same framework,” he stressed.
He added that the CENTCOM commander’s presence does not affect the substance of the negotiations, noting that Iran was told the visit was for an inspection of a US naval vessel. He said a request was made on grounds of diplomatic courtesy, but Iran rejected it, emphasizing that the presence of a military figure in a diplomatic process is meaningless.
In response to a question about conditions raised by the US in previous rounds, the foreign minister said the main demand was zero enrichment, which Iran found unacceptable. He said Iran made clear again in Friday’s session that enrichment must continue.
“Enrichment is a scientific achievement reached by our scientists. The blood of our scientists has been shed for it, and we fought a 12-day war over it. It has become a source of national pride and is non-negotiable. We will not relinquish the Iranian people’s right to enrichment,” he said.
Source: MEHR News Agency