Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araguchi questioned the US’ intentions the day before the second round of nuclear talks with Washington.
The new round comes a week after the two countries negotiated the highest level of negotiations three years later, when US President Donald Trump unilaterally abandoned the landmark nuclear deal in 2015. Iran has since abandoned all the restrictions on its nuclear program and has enriched uranium to a purity of up to 60%.
“There are serious questions about the American intentions and motivations, but in any case, I will be taking part in negotiations tomorrow,” Araguc told Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov at a press conference in Moscow on Friday.
Araguchi will depart for Rome on Saturday for a new round via Oman with US Middle Eastern envoy Steve Witkov.
“We are ready to pursue a peaceful resolution for Iran’s peaceful nuclear program,” Araguchi said.
Lavrov said Moscow “will play a useful role from an Iranian perspective and will be accepted by the United States.”
Russia, which commands the world’s largest confirmed nuclear weapons armory, has played a role in Iran’s nuclear negotiations since launching an attack in Ukraine in February 2022, deepened its military ties with Iran and is now a vetoed security council of United States.
Western countries, including the United States, have long accused Iran of trying to acquire nuclear weapons. Tehran has consistently denied it, claiming its programme is a peaceful private purpose.
Tohid Asady of Al Jazeera, reporting from Tehran, said there was a “cloud of distrust in the air” despite a statement by Araguchi.
“In future meetings, there is a perception among Iranians that this distrust exists in relation to the US, but it goes back to the statement we heard today. We saw a mix of doubt and hope at the same time,” Asady said.
“Iran says it’s not interested in putting in other issues… (e.g.) nuclear capabilities… on the table of negotiations,” he added.
“Unrealistic demands”
US President Donald Trump threatened to attack Iran if he disagrees with the US.
On Tuesday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Security Forces Corps said the country’s military capabilities are outside the scope of discussion.
The official IRNA news agency reports that Iran’s regional influence and its missile capabilities have long been criticized by the Western government.
On Wednesday, Iran’s foreign minister said Iran’s uranium enrichment was uncontroversial after Witkov asked for it to be finished.
“If there is a similar drive on the other side and they refrain from making unreasonable and unrealistic demands, I think it’s likely that an agreement will occur,” Araguchi said at a press conference Friday.
Lavrov emphasized that potential agreements should only be related to nuclear issues.
“This is a fundamental point that must be taken into consideration by people who are trying to strain the nuclear-free issue and negotiations and therefore create very dangerous situations,” he said.
Iran was ready to accept some restrictions on uranium enrichment in the US during talks last week, but needed to ensure Trump would not abandon the agreement again, an Iranian official spoke to Reuters on Friday on condition of anonymity.
Officials said Tehran’s red lines are “mandated by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei” could not be compromised in the meeting, adding that they would never agree to dismantle its centrifuge to enrich uranium, adding that they would never agree to stop enrichment completely or reduce the amount of uranium abundant.
They will also not negotiate about missile programs. Tehran views it as outside the scope of its nuclear deal, Reuters reported.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that the US administration is looking for a peaceful solution with Iran, but will never tolerate a nation developing nuclear weapons.
Rubio met with British, French and German officials in Paris and forced them to maintain sanctions against Iran rather than flee.
Israel also reiterated its unwavering commitment to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, saying there is a “clear course of action” to prevent this.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I are committed to leading a clear course of action that will prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons,” Israeli Defense Minister Katz said Friday.