Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian publicly rejected holding direct negotiations with Washington over its rapidly expanding nuclear program, which had been proposed in a letter from US President Donald Trump and delivered to Tehran earlier this month.
“Although the possibility of direct negotiations between the two sides has been rejected in this response, it has been emphasized that the path for indirect negotiations remains open,” Pezeshkian said in televised remarks on March 30, referring to Trump’s letter.
SEE ALSO: Insisting On Indirect Talks, Iran Responds To Trump Letter Via OmanWhile high-ranking Iranian officials had previously spoken against the idea of holding nuclear talks with the United States, Pezeshkian’s comments mark Iran’s first formal rejection of the US call for negotiations.
Since Trump returned to the White House, his administration has consistently said that Iran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons and they have previously warned that military action is on the table should Iran reject Trump’s outreach.
Pezeshkian’s remarks now help set the stage for a further rise in tensions between Tehran and Washington over the country’s nuclear program.
Iran has long maintained that its program is for peaceful use, but Iranian officials have also threatened to pursue a weapon as tensions amid a growing standoff with the United States over sanctions and renewed bombing in the Gaza Strip following the collapse of a cease-fire in Israel’s war against Iran-backed Hamas, which is deemed a terrorist organization by the United States and the EU.
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A report in February by the UN’s nuclear watchdog said that Iran has accelerated its production of near weapons-grade uranium.
An Emirati delegation delivered a letter to Tehran from Trump proposing nuclear talks with the United States earlier this month, but hours before it arrived Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had already dismissed the prospect of talks with the Trump administration.
Similar comments were made by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on March 27 when he said that Tehran had sent a formal written response to Trump via Oman which maintained that Iran will not hold direct negotiations as long as Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign is in effect.
SEE ALSO: US Strikes On Yemen's Houthis A Message To Iran“This official response includes a letter in which our position regarding the current situation and Mr. Trump's letter has been fully explained to the other party,” Araqchi said.
In his televised comments, Pezeshkian offered the most direct acknowledgement yet that Tehran has rejected direct talks, although he left the door open for indirect negotiations with the United States and trust-building efforts.
“We don’t avoid talks; it’s the breach of promises that has caused issues for us so far,” Pezeshkian said. “They must prove that they can build trust,” he said, referring to the United States.
SEE ALSO: China, Iran, Russia Demand End To US Sanctions On TehranIran’s economy has been reeling from years of sanctions, particularly after Trump, in his first term, pulled the United States out of a landmark nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed sanctions.
Tehran is looking to find ways to ease those sanctions or have them removed entirely, but the public rejection of Trump’s letter could lead to new pressure from Washington and other powers who are worried about Iran's nuclear program.
More sanctions could also be coming if Tehran doesn't reach an agreement.
With the 2015 nuclear deal set to formally expire in October 2025, world powers that are still part of the pact have only have a few months before they lose the ability to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran.