ISLAMABAD (PEN) : Iran has confirmed it has sent a formal response to a letter from former US President Donald Trump regarding nuclear negotiations. While the Islamic Republic has maintained that direct talks are not on the table, it signaled openness to continued indirect discussions, Iranian state media reported on Thursday.
Iran’s Stance on Direct Talks
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that Tehran had sent its response to Trump’s letter via Oman, reiterating the country’s longstanding position that it would not engage in direct negotiations with Washington while facing “maximum pressure” and military threats.
“Our policy remains unchanged,” Araghchi was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency. “We will not enter direct negotiations while facing maximum pressure and military threats. However, as in the past, indirect negotiations can continue.”
The response came in the form of a letter detailing Iran’s perspective on Trump’s message, which was reportedly delivered to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei through senior Emirati diplomat Anwar Gargash during his visit to Tehran earlier this month.
The Background of Tensions
The communication comes amid ongoing tensions between Tehran and Washington, which have escalated since the United States’ withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Under the agreement, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, but President Trump pulled the US out of the deal in 2018 and reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran.
Since then, Iran has expanded its nuclear activities, with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reporting that the country has accumulated enough fissile material for multiple nuclear weapons. Iran, however, continues to insist that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful energy purposes.
Trump’s Proposal and Iran’s Response
Although the full contents of Trump’s letter to Khamenei remain undisclosed, Iranian officials have been clear in their dismissal of his warnings to strike a new deal or face possible military action. In his response, Foreign Minister Araghchi affirmed that Iran would not entertain direct negotiations under the current circumstances, but indicated that indirect talks could proceed.
Kamal Kharrazi, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, also weighed in on the issue, signaling that Tehran has not fully closed the door to diplomacy. He stated that Iran would be willing to engage in indirect negotiations with the United States to assess the other party’s intentions, determine its own conditions, and decide on the best course of action.
Path Forward for US-Iran Relations
Despite the cautious approach, Kharrazi’s statement reflects a degree of flexibility, as Iran has previously indicated that it may consider diplomacy if certain conditions are met. While Tehran is wary of the breakdowns in negotiations that have occurred in the past, this latest development underscores the country’s continuing interest in pursuing indirect talks as a means to address its concerns with the US and the international community.
As the geopolitical climate remains tense, the situation between Iran and the United States continues to evolve. The outcome of these indirect negotiations—if they proceed—could have far-reaching implications for the future of Iran’s nuclear program and the broader Middle East security landscape.
