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Iran says open to 'balanced, fair' nuclear proposal from US, but won't stop enriching uranium
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said that Tehran is exchanging messages with the United States through some mediators.
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said on Saturday that the country is open to consider “fair and balanced” nuclear proposal with the United States, however, it has not received any such proposal for nuclear talks yet.
He also made it clear that Iran will not stop enriching uranium but will consider measures to build trust that its nuclear program is peaceful.
"If we receive a reasonable, balanced, and fair proposal from the Americans for negotiations, we will certainly consider it," Araqchi told Iran's state television.
He also said that other side, the United States, will also have to take steps such as removing certain sanctions.
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"Of course, this is conditional on the other side also taking steps to build trust — by lifting part of the sanctions," he said.
Iran's top diplomat also added that they are exchanging messages with the United States through some mediators.
This comes as tensions between Iran and the United States amped up after nuclear negotiations between the two countries hit a roadblock even after five rounds of talks, which only got worse after the twelve-day war between Israel and Iran in June this year. During the war, the US joined Israel to strike key nuclear sites across Iran.
While Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful, several Western powers, including the US and its European allies, want Tehran to stop its uranium enrichment completely.
Iran on Gaza ceasefire, Israel
Araqchi expressed his distrust in Israel while talking about the ceasefire in Gaza and said the “Zionist regime” has violated terms of previous ceasefires as well, however, he did express his support for the ceasefire that has come after two years of war.
"We warn about the tricks and betrayals of the Zionist regime (Israel) regarding previous agreements... There is absolutely no trust in the Zionist regime," he said.
“Any plan that serves to halt these (Israel's) crimes has always had our support,” he added.
Iran also dismissed the possibility of normalising ties with Israel and joing the Abraham Accords as US President Donald Trump's “wishful thinking”.
This comes after Trump expressed hope last week that Tehran could join the agreement. Abraham Accords was signed during Trump's first term, under which, Israel normalised ties with four Muslim-majority nations.
"Iran will never recognize an occupied regime that has committed genocide and killed children," Araqchi said.
(With inputs from Reuters)
