No nuclear talks taking place with US, says Iran FM

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Sep 2023 00:02

Iran's foreign minister underlines that his country is not holding any talks with the United States on the revival of the nuclear deal.

In this Dec. 23, 2019 file photo released by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, technicians work at the Arak heavy water reactor's secondary circuit, as officials and media visit the site, near Arak, Iran (AP)

Iran's Foreign Ministry dismissed on Tuesday reports about Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei allegedly permitting the country's government to conduct direct negotiations with the United States over the Iranian nuclear program and a mechanism for the lifting of sanctions.

Earlier in the day, the UK-based Amwaj news website, citing sources in Tehran, reported that Sayyed Khamenei had allegedly instructed the Iranian nuclear negotiating team to enter direct talks with the US.

The British website said that Iran taking such a U-turn could be "a watershed moment for the contention over the Iranian nuclear program."

"Such format of reporting and media games, which is usually carried out to create a certain political climate, does not inspire confidence," the ministry said in a statement.

In a televised news conference in August, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian reiterated Iran's commitment to resolving the ongoing nuclear dispute through diplomatic means.

Amir-Abdollahian's statements come after indirect talks between Iran and the United States to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement have reached a deadlock since last September.

"We have always wanted a return of all parties to full compliance of the 2015 nuclear deal," Amir-Abdollahian stated, signaling Iran's willingness to engage constructively in resolving the longstanding disagreement.

The 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), aimed to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief from world powers.

The talks between Tehran and Washington had been stalled for months, raising concerns over the future of the deal and the potential implications for regional and global security. However, recent developments have offered a glimmer of hope for progress in resolving the diplomatic gridlock.

Tehran and Washington also reached an understanding under which $6 billion in Iranian funds would be unfrozen from South Korea in exchange for the release of 5 Americans.