Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke in response to a letter sent to the country’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei by US President Donald Trump earlier this month.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that the Islamic Republic is ruling out direct negotiations with the US on its nuclear programme.
“We don’t avoid talks,” Pezeshkian said in televised remarks during a cabinet meeting. “It’s the breach of promises that has caused issues for us so far. They must prove that they can build trust.”
Pezeshkian was speaking in response to a letter sent by US President Donald Trump to Tehran on 12 March, the exact contents of which were not revealed.
Iran’s reply, which was delivered to the US through the sultanate of Oman, did however leave the door open for potential indirect negotiations with Washington.
The White House did not offer an immediate response to the Iranian president’s remarks, but in an interview with NBC that aired on the same day but was recorded just prior to Tehran’s comments, Trump said “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”
No deal without sanctions relief
Earlier this month, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the prospect of direct negotiations, noting that so long as Washington maintains its heavy sanctions on Tehran, no nuclear negotiations or cooperation can take place.
“We will not enter any direct negotiations with the US so long as they continue their maximum pressure policy and their threats,” said the Iranian FM.
The Trump administration has reimposed sanctions against Iran – including on the country’s oil sector – as part of his maximum pressure policy designed to cripple the Iranian economy and force the government into diplomatic submission.
In a speech in August, Supreme Leader Khamenei opened the door to talks with the US, saying there is “no harm in engaging with the enemy”. However, more recently, he’s backtracked stating that negotiations with Washington are “not intelligent, wise or honourable”, after Trump floated the prospect of nuclear talks.
