Iranian officers on Wednesday condemned U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff after he known as on Tehran to “completely eliminate” its nuclear program, simply days earlier than the second spherical of nuclear talks.
In a seeming reversal, Witkoff tweeted Tuesday that Iran “must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program” to achieve an settlement with the Trump administration.
“A take care of Iran will solely be accomplished if it’s a Trump deal. Any last association should set a framework for peace, stability, and prosperity within the Middle East,” he wrote.
“It is crucial for the world that we create a tricky, truthful deal that can endure, and that’s what President Trump has requested me to do.”
In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi known as Witkoff’s feedback “contradictory” and unhelpful to the negotiation course of.
“We have heard numerous positions from the American aspect, a few of that are contradictory, and this definitely doesn’t assist a correct negotiation course of,” he instructed reporters.
The prime diplomat, nevertheless, mentioned that the true stance of the US aspect would solely be revealed on the negotiating desk.
“If they arrive with constructive positions, I’m hopeful that we are able to start negotiating the framework for a possible settlement. But if contradictory and conflicting positions proceed, the method will turn out to be tough,” he added.
Araghchi mentioned that negotiations should be primarily based on equal footing and carried out in a respectful surroundings, moderately than via strain or imposition of positions.
Regarding the difficulty of uranium enrichment, the Iranian minister harassed that the matter is “not negotiable.”
“What is for certain is that enrichment in Iran is an actual, acknowledged, and bonafide matter. We are ready to construct belief concerning potential issues, however the precept of enrichment itself just isn’t negotiable,” he mentioned.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei additionally took to X to criticize the US envoy.
“Moving the goalposts constitutes knowledgeable foul and an unfair act in soccer. In diplomacy, any such shifting (pushed by hawks who fail to understand the logic/artwork of commonsensical deal-making) might merely danger any overtures falling aside,” he wrote.
“It might be perceived as an absence of seriousness, not to mention good religion. We’re nonetheless in testing mode.”
Indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington over Iran’s nuclear program started final Saturday in Oman and can proceed with a second spherical this Saturday.
Iran described the primary spherical of talks as having taken place in “a constructive environment primarily based on mutual respect.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei mentioned on Tuesday that the preliminary steps had been constructive, however famous that Tehran stays skeptical of the US aspect.
Trump has threatened Iran with army strikes and secondary sanctions if it fails to achieve a brand new settlement with Washington, one that might substitute the nuclear deal signed beneath the Obama administration in 2015.
Source: www.dailysabah.com