Deputy FM: Iran willing to compromise with US on nuclear deal

Iran has expressed its readiness to consider compromises to reach a nuclear deal with the US if the Americans were willing to discuss the lifting of sanctions on the Islamic Republic

The country's deputy foreign minister has stated the government's position during an interview with the BBC in Tehran on February 15, as Caliber.Az reports.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi said the ball was "in America's court to prove that they want to do a deal", adding: "If they are sincere, I'm sure we will be on the road to an agreement."

His remarks come a day after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump preferred a deal but noted it was "very hard to do" one with Iran.

US officials have repeatedly emphasised that Iran, not the US, is holding up progress in this protracted negotiating process with Takht-Ravanchi's statement now shifting this balance in the negotiations.

Trump has repeatedly threatened with strikes against Iran in recent months if a deal to curb its nuclear programme cannot be reached, with the US building up its military presence in the region.

The US and Iran held indirect talks in the Gulf state of Oman earlier in February, and Takht-Ravanchi, who confirmed a second round was set to take place in Geneva on February 17, agreed with Trump's earlier evaluation of the talks by stating that they had been "more or less in a positive direction”. However, he cautioned against rushing to conclusions by stating that it was “too early to judge".

By Nazrin Sadigova