Iran FM to head to Moscow, discuss US nuclear talks

Donald Trump and Ayatollah Khamenei (ANI file picture)

TEHRAN: Iran‘s overseas minister Abbas Araghchi is ready to go to Moscow this week to discuss latest nuclear negotiations with the United States held in Oman, the overseas ministry spokesman mentioned on Monday.
On Saturday, Araghchi held talks with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff in Muscat, the highest-level Iranian-US nuclear negotiations for the reason that collapse of a 2015 accord.
“Dr Araghchi will travel to Moscow at the end of the week,” mentioned spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, including that the journey was “pre-planned” and could be “an opportunity to discuss the latest developments related to the Muscat talks.”
Iran and the United States individually described Saturday’s discussions as “constructive”.
The negotiations got here weeks after US President Donald Trump despatched a letter to Iran’s supreme chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling for nuclear talks whereas warning of potential navy motion if Tehran refused.
Russia, a detailed ally of Iran, and China have held discussions with Iran in latest weeks over its nuclear programme.
Moscow welcomed the Iran-US talks because it pushed for a diplomatic answer and warned that navy confrontation could be a “global catastrophe”.
Another spherical of talks between Iran and the United States is scheduled for Saturday, April 19.
Red strains
The official IRNA information company reported that they’d be held in Europe, with out elaborating.
Baqaei mentioned the subsequent set of talks would proceed to be oblique with Omani mediation, including that direct talks had been “not effective” and “not useful”.
He had beforehand mentioned that the one focus of the upcoming talks could be “the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions”, and that Iran “will not have any talks with the American side on any other issue”.
Late Sunday, IRNA reported that Tehran’s regional affect and its missile capabilities had been amongst its “red lines” within the talks.
In 2018, throughout Trump’s first time period in workplace, Washington withdrew from the 2015 settlement and reinstated biting sanctions on Tehran.
Iran continued to adhere to the settlement for a 12 months after Trump’s withdrawal however later started rolling again its compliance.
Iran has constantly denied that it’s searching for nuclear weapons.
Baqaei reiterated that Iran will quickly host United Nations nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi however famous that the main points of his journey had been nonetheless “to be decided on.”
Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), final visited Iran in November the place he held talks with high officers, together with President Masoud Pezeshkian.
In its newest quarterly report in February, the IAEA mentioned Iran had an estimated 274.8 kilograms (605 kilos) of uranium enriched to up to 60 %, shut to the 90 % degree wanted to make nuclear weapons.