Iran refuses to resume nuclear talks until US drops “excessive demands”

Iran has ruled out resuming negotiations over its nuclear programme until the United States drops what it calls “excessive demands,” its foreign minister has said.

Abbas Araghchi told state media that Tehran would not return to the negotiating table while Washington continues its “greedy policy” and makes “unfounded demands” against Iran.

He added that previous talks, including discussions on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September, stalled due to US insistence on excessive conditions.

Iranian officials have said that exchanges of messages with Washington are ongoing, but it is “too early” to describe the process as formal negotiations, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei.

The warning comes after Tehran formally withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on October 19. The deal, which had lifted international sanctions in exchange for limits on Iran’s nuclear programme, has now been terminated, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

“All provisions of the 2015 agreement, including restrictions on Iran’s nuclear programme and related mechanisms, are considered nullified,” the ministry said.

US President Donald Trump said on October 20 that he was interested in reaching a peace agreement with Iran. Tehran has maintained that it is open to diplomacy with Washington, but only if guarantees are provided that military action will not be taken during any talks.

Last week, the foreign ministers of three European powers said they would try to revive negotiations to achieve a “comprehensive, durable, and verifiable agreement.”

Relations between Iran and the West remain tense. The US has imposed strict sanctions, including measures to curb international purchases of Iranian oil. Several rounds of Oman-mediated talks this year have failed to produce an agreement.

Western governments and Israel have accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, claims that Tehran denies, insisting its nuclear programme is entirely for civilian energy purposes.

By Tamilla Hasanova