Iran's FM says closed-door UNSC meeting 'new, bizarre process'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
12 Mar 2025 11:58

The top Iranian diplomat urged the Security Council to uphold its responsibility to maintain global peace and security, free from political influence.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks in a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Tehran, Iran, on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. (AP)

An Arab country will soon deliver a letter from US President Donald Trump to Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Wednesday.

"The letter has not reached us yet but an envoy from an Arab country is set to deliver it soon in Tehran," Araghchi told reporters following a cabinet meeting.

He did not disclose the identity of the Arab country or provide a specific timeline for the letter's delivery.

Last Friday, Trump said he had written a letter to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sayyed Ali Khamenei, urging talks to negotiate a new deal on Iran's nuclear program or risk potential military action.

However, Iran has firmly rejected negotiations under the "maximum pressure" policy, which Trump reinstated after returning to office in January.

On Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ruled out negotiations with the United States under current circumstances, stating that Tehran will not engage in talks while under threats.

In comments reported by Iranian state media, he directly addressed Trump, saying, "It is unacceptable for us that they (the US) give orders and make threats. I won't even negotiate with you. Do whatever the hell you want."

Under this policy, Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed broad sanctions on Iran, while adding new measures.

In February, Sayyed Khamenei reiterated his stance against negotiations with the US, citing Washington’s exit from the nuclear agreement. Last week, he condemned the "bullying" tactics of certain governments, asserting that their calls for negotiations were driven by a desire for dominance, rather than conflict resolution.

Closed-door UNSC meeting 'new, bizarre process'

Araghchi also commented on a recent request by some nations for a closed-door UN Security Council session on Iran's nuclear activity, describing it as a "new and bizarre process" that puts into question the intentions of the requesting states.

The top Iranian diplomat urged the Security Council to uphold its responsibility to maintain global peace and security, free from political influence.

Regarding Iran’s nuclear program, Araghchi reiterated Tehran’s commitment to peaceful nuclear development and ongoing discussions.

He emphasized, "The Islamic Republic of Iran has always been open to negotiations, but these talks must be fair and respectful."

"We negotiated the JCPOA in the past and continue discussions today. Although the US withdrew from the agreement long ago, we are still in talks with the three European countries. Two weeks ago, the fourth round of negotiations was held, and a new round is expected soon," the Iranian Foreign Minister pointed out.

Araghchi reiterated that Iran remains a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and fully complies with its international obligations regarding nuclear activities.

"Our nuclear program is dynamic, progressing, and multifaceted, but it remains entirely within the framework of the NPT," he said, adding, "We do not accept any restrictions beyond this treaty."

China to host trilateral talks with Russia, Iran on Tehran's nuclear program

In a related development, China will host trilateral talks on Tehran's nuclear program with Russia and Iran on Friday, according to Beijing’s Foreign Ministry.

"The three parties will exchange views on the Iranian nuclear issue and other issues of mutual interest," a ministry spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday.

The meeting will feature China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi.

The United States withdrew from the landmark nuclear agreement, which had imposed constraints on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, during Trump’s first term, which ended in 2021. Tehran adhered to the deal for one year after the US withdrawal but subsequently began scaling back its commitments. Efforts to revive the agreement have since stalled.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Bagaei confirmed the upcoming talks, stating that the discussions would focus on developments concerning the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions.

Bagaei added that the talks "will also discuss and exchange views on other issues of interest to the three countries," including regional and international developments, as well as issues related to cooperation within the framework of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

The upcoming meeting will follow a closed-door session of the United Nations Security Council in New York on the same day, focused on Iran's increasing uranium stockpiles.

Last week, Russia stated that Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov held talks with Iranian Ambassador Kazem Jalali to discuss international efforts to address Iran's nuclear program. This came after reports suggesting Russia's involvement in facilitating communication between the US administration under President Donald Trump and Iran.

Tehran has consistently denied any intentions of developing nuclear weapons. However, the UN atomic watchdog, the IAEA, has raised concerns, claiming that Iran is "dramatically" accelerating its uranium enrichment process, reaching levels of up to 60% purity, which is close to the weapons-grade threshold of around 90%.