 "'Not closed all doors': Khamenei aide signals openness to indirect talks with US")
Kamal Kharrazi, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, said on Thursday that Tehran remains open to resolving its disputes with the US and is prepared for indirect negotiations with Washington.
So far, Tehran has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s warning to either reach a deal or face military repercussions.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described Trump’s message as misleading, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi emphasised that negotiations cannot proceed unless Washington alters its “maximum pressure” policy.
“The Islamic Republic has not closed all doors. It is ready for indirect negotiations with the United States in order to evaluate the other party, state its own conditions and make the appropriate decision,” Reuters quoted Kharrazi as saying, according to the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency.
Iran is expected to respond to Trump’s letter soon, with Araqchi indicating last week that Tehran would consider both Trump’s threats and potential opportunities in its reply.
During his first term from 2017 to 2021, Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 agreement with Iran and world powers, which imposed strict limits on Tehran’s controversial nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
After Trump’s withdrawal in 2018 and the reimposition of extensive US sanctions, Iran began to breach and has since significantly exceeded those limits in its expanding uranium enrichment programme.
Western powers accuse Iran of pursuing a hidden agenda to develop nuclear weapons capability by enriching uranium to levels they claim exceed what is necessary for civilian nuclear energy purposes.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsTehran, however, asserts that its nuclear programme is entirely focused on civilian energy needs.
With inputs from agencies
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
