Iran open to talks with US, official claims

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has announced that Iran is prepared to resume negotiations with the United States regarding the lifting of sanctions.

Gharibabadi noted that this will depend upon US President Donald Trump expressing a desire to engage in talks, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

He also emphasised that Iran's willingness to negotiate has remained consistent and unaltered.

This development comes amid heightened tensions surrounding Iran's nuclear program and the potential reinstatement of UN Security Council sanctions through the snapback mechanism, a move that could prompt Iran to reconsider its commitments under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has previously indicated that such actions from Western countries could lead to Iran's withdrawal from the NPT, escalating concerns over nuclear proliferation in the region.

Tehran began rolling back its commitments after Washington’s withdrawal in 2018. Efforts to revive the pact have since faltered. Though Iran claims its nuclear program is peaceful it has enriched uranium to levels that are a short technical step from weapons-grade material. The UN’s atomic watchdog says there is no civilian use for such high-level enrichment. 

The deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), provided for a snapback mechanism that allowed signatories to reimpose United Nations sanctions on Iran in cases of the “significant non-performance” of commitments.