Gov’t spox terms negotiations under pressure as meaningless
Iran’s government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said on Tuesday that the door to negotiations has always been open, but “it makes no sense under maximum pressure.”
In her weekly press conference in the southern city of Asaluyeh in Bushehr Province, Mohajerani said that it was the other side that blocked the way to talks by abandoning the negotiating table and imposing the “maximum pressure” on Iran.
She was referring to the United States which withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran – a move that left the future of the deal in limbo.
Mohajerani said that Iran negotiated and another party to the agreement left the negotiating table, and they were the ones who did not adhere to what they had signed.
“Therefore, naturally, in conditions when maximum pressure is being announced, negotiation makes no sense, but we are people who are willing to negotiate, and the whole world knows this,” the government’s spokeswoman said.
Officials of the new US administration have frequently claimed that Washington is interested in negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program.
On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said US’s words cannot be taken seriously.
“These words cannot be taken seriously because words must be proportionate to actions. You cannot threaten to destroy on one hand and on the other hand claim that you are interested in dialogue and talks,” Baqaei said.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian also said on Wednesday that the US president wants to engage in talks with Iran while closing all the doors for negotiations. He threatens the world not to establish relations with Iran and on the other hand, he suggests that we negotiate.
Pezeshkian added that Iran will not back down and will not surrender in the face of any threat.
Since taking office in January, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his eagerness for talks with Iran to strike a deal on Tehran’s nuclear program.
At the same time, he has reinstated his so-called “maximum pressure” policy and has threatened military action against Iran.