Iran plans to continue nuclear talks with the US, but not directly
Kyiv • UNN
Iran said that the talks with the US will focus on the nuclear dossier and the lifting of sanctions. The meeting will take place on April 19, the negotiations will be indirect, Oman will remain the mediator.
Iran has stated that the new round of talks with the US will focus exclusively on the nuclear dossier and the lifting of US sanctions.
This was reported by France24, writes UNN.
Details
According to media reports, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi and US Special Representative for the Middle East Steve Witkoff held talks in Muscat on Saturday, which became the highest-level talks between Iran and the US on the nuclear program since the failure of the 2015 agreement. They agreed to meet again in seven days.
The negotiations will still be indirect. Oman will remain the mediator, but we are discussing the venue for future negotiations.
He stated that the negotiations will focus only on the "nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions", and that Iran "will not conduct any negotiations with the American side on any other issues."
Analysts said the US would insist on including in the agenda a discussion of Iran's ballistic missile program, as well as Tehran's support for the "axis of resistance" — a network of militant groups that oppose Israel.
However, Tehran said it would only talk about its nuclear program. In 2018, Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers during his first term as US president.
The rare talks on Saturday came weeks after Trump sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling for nuclear talks, while warning of possible military action if Iran refused.
Iran and the United States separately described Saturday's talks as "constructive." Iran said the talks were conducted indirectly through the mediation of the Omani Foreign Minister.
According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, negotiators Aragchi and Witkoff spoke directly for "several minutes" after the talks. The next round of talks will take place on Saturday, April 19.
Recall
The White House called the negotiations between the US and Iran a step in the right direction and confirmed plans for further meetings next week. Tehran also called the talks constructive.
