Tehran: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi stated that Tehran is not interested in direct negotiations with Washington; however, he believes indirect talks can achieve an agreement.
According to the Xinhua news agency, in an interview with Qatar’s Al Jazeera released on Saturday, Araghchi expressed Iran’s willingness to engage in discussions to address concerns regarding its nuclear programme.
“We have no desire to hold direct negotiations with Washington, but we can achieve an agreement through indirect negotiations,” he noted.
Emphasising the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme, Araghchi stated that Iran’s uranium enrichment cannot be halted. “What could not be achieved by war cannot be achieved through politics,” he asserted.
He added that the country had a 400 kg stockpile of 60 percent enriched uranium still buried under the rubble of its bombed atomic facilities and had not been transferred elsewhere.
“We suffered major losses in our nuclear facilities, both in terms of structures and equipment, but our technology remains intact.” He was referring to the US bombing of the three Iranian nuclear facilities of Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan on June 22.
Iran and the United States had engaged in five rounds of indirect talks regarding Tehran’s nuclear programme and the lifting of US sanctions before Israel launched major surprise airstrikes on several locations in Iran in June. US forces subsequently joined in the bombing.
In recent months, the United States has repeatedly urged Iran to halt uranium enrichment within its borders and to restrict its missile programme. However, Iran has rejected these demands, asserting that both issues are non-negotiable.
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–IANS
