Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani has said that Iran is ready for nuclear talks with the United States. “The path to negotiations with the U.S. has not been closed. The Americans make propaganda about talks but do not come to the table,” said Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. “They only wrongly blame Iran.”
“By raising indisputable issues such as missile restrictions, they have chosen a path to reject any negotiations,” Larijani wrote on X. His comments came a few days after the United States welcomed the European powers’ move to reimpose United Nations sanctions on Iran, while also stating that it was “available for direct engagement with Iran in negotiations.”
The nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, which began in April, collapsed in mid-June after Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities. Last Thursday, the UK, France, and Germany invoked the “snapback” mechanism of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers. Under this provision, sanctions that had been lifted could be reimposed if Iran failed to comply.
The deal had already faltered in 2018 when then-U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from it during his first term. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington seeks a permanent solution to Iran’s nuclear issue, and that the “snapback” move does not contradict but rather strengthens its commitment to diplomacy.
Following Israeli and U.S. attacks, Iran suspended cooperation with the UN’s nuclear watchdog and demanded assurances against military actions before resuming any talks. Western governments have repeatedly expressed concern that Iran’s missile program poses a threat to regional security.
In July, France called for a “comprehensive agreement” with Tehran. The proposed deal would cover not only Iran’s nuclear program but also its missile program and regional ambitions. Iran has argued that its military expansion is not a proper subject for negotiations. Western governments suspect that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons capability, but Tehran has consistently denied this. RSS/AFP
