CNN: Iran signals readiness for US nuclear talks under own conditions

Iran is prepared to restart negotiations with the United States on its nuclear programme if they are held in line with Tehran’s conditions, Kamal Kharrazi, foreign policy adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said.

In an exclusive interview with CNN, the adviser noted that they must take the first step and demonstrate readiness to engage on the terms proposed, stressing that the process must be grounded in equality and mutual respect, Caliber.Az reports.

Kharrazi indicated that Iran’s terms for a potential rapprochement with Washington remain unchanged since the US and Israel struck its nuclear facilities in June, adding that uranium enrichment will continue as the country requires fuel for its power plants and for medical needs.

“If there would be genuine negotiations between Iran and the United States, there are ways and means (of) how to ensure that Iran can continue its enrichment and at the same time assure the others that it’s not going to look for nuclear weapons,” Kharrazi stated.

Tehran’s ballistic missile program, which he said is continuing to expand, will also remain off the negotiating table, as only the nuclear issue will be discussed with the United States.

The adviser also urged US President Donald Trump to adopt a “positive approach” toward the republic and refrain from any use of force, saying that in such a case Iran “will respond in kind.” Addressing the possibility of a new confrontation with the US and Israel, Kharrazi said Iran is prepared.

The latest signals from both Tehran and Washington suggest that the possibility of renewed nuclear talks remains open, but serious obstacles persist.

Iran has recently stated that it is willing to return to negotiations only if the United States accepts a framework it considers “equal and fair,” insisting that Washington’s current approach does not meet that standard.

At the same time, the US and its European partners have increased pressure at the IAEA, submitting a draft resolution that calls for faster Iranian cooperation with nuclear inspectors amid concerns about limited access and transparency.

Tehran continues to stress that its uranium-enrichment activities will not be halted and that its ballistic-missile programme is entirely off the table, making clear that any potential negotiations must focus solely on the nuclear file.

By Jeyhun Aghazada