Deputy FM decries nuclear negotiations with set outcomes as ‘meaningless’
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht-e Ravanchi said on Friday that any negotiation whose outcome is predetermined is “meaningless,” adding that the United States shows no readiness to engage in talks on equal footing.
Takht-e Ravanchi made the remarks in a press conference after his one-day trip to Oman, where he said Tehran and Muscat exchanged their views on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program and the Islamic Republic expressed its “clear position” on the issue.
The senior diplomat stated that the US government’s unwillingness to negotiate on an equal footing compels Iran to see no justification for continuing the talks under the current circumstances.
He stressed that any negotiation process must lead to balanced outcomes for both sides, stressing that “negotiations whose results are predetermined are meaningless.”
In a post on his X account on Friday, Takht-e Ravanchi also said he held talks with Omani officials on bilateral, regional, and international issues during his trip to the Persian Gulf country.
Takht-e Ravanchi described his trip to the neighboring country as “fruitful,” saying that he held meetings with the Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi and his deputy, Khalifa al-Harthi.
“We highly value our regular consultations with our brothers in Oman, and Muscat is a trustworthy neighbor and a key partner,” the Iranian official said.
Takht-e Ravanchi also held separate meetings with spokesman for the Yemen’s Ansarullah movement Mohammed Abdul Salam as well as UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg.
The visit to Oman came less than a week after the Omani Minister of Interior Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal al-Busaidi visited Iran.
During his visit to Tehran, the Omani official held several meetings with Iranian officials including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani.
Pezeshkian told the Omani official that unity among Muslim nations is essential for safeguarding their collective interests and security, as well as deterring foreign aggression.
Pointing to the deep-rooted and cordial relations between Iran and Oman, he said interactions have always been based on mutual respect and goodwill.
The two countries have always supported each other through the ups and downs of regional developments, the president said.
He hailed Oman’s “constructive” role in regional developments, particularly in the context of mediation and hosting negotiations between Iran and the United States, which reflects “wise and peaceful performance” of the Omani authorities.