Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi, photo: Atta Kenare / AFP / Profimedia Images
Iran said on Tuesday that a new nuclear agreement with the US can be agreed if the enemy of Tehran looks long enough in the discussions, but warned that it will never accept coercion, AFP reports.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in the meantime that the “military option” will become “inevitable” if the discussions between Washington and Tehran extend.
Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abbas Aragchchi, said that the main objective of Tehran remains to raise large American sanctions. These were reintroduced by Donald Trump in 2018, in the first term of the Republican at the US Presidency, and represented a heavy blow to the economy of the Islamic Republic.
Donald Trump announced on Monday that his administration begins discussions with Iran. The announcement was made during the visit to the White House by the Prime Minister of Israel, the main enemy country for Tehran.
The American leader mentioned that the discussions will be carried out “directly”, but Aragchi insisted that the negotiations he will have on Saturday with the US emissary, Steve Witkoff will be “indirect”.
“We will not accept any other form of negotiation,” said the head of Iranian diplomacy for the state press. “The format of negotiations (…) is not the most important thing from my point of view. What really matters is the efficiency (…) the discussions,” he continued.
“If the other party looks long enough for the necessary disposition, you can find an agreement (…). The ball is in the land of America,” said the Iranian official.
Trump and Netanyahu threatened Iran again
Speaking Monday in the Oval Office, the US president said he hopes he would reach an agreement with Tehran, but warned that Iran will be in a “great danger” if he fails.
After the meeting he had with Trump, the Israeli prime minister said in a video message on Tuesday that “we agree that Iran will not have nuclear weapons.”
“This can only be done through an agreement, but only if (…) enters, throws the installations (Iran), dismantles all the equipment, under American supervision,” said Netanyahu, adding that if the discussions are extended “then the military option becomes inevitable.”
Benjamin Netanyahu was a fierce opponent of the nuclear agreement that was signed in 2015 between Iran, on the one hand, and the United Kingdom, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US, on the other. Trump withdrew the US from the agreement in 2018.
In an opinion article in the Washington Post, Araghchi said: “To go forward today, we must first agree that there can be no” military option “, let alone” a military solution “.
“In their turn, the United States can show that they are serious about diplomacy, showing that they will be held by any understanding they will end. If we are shown respect, we will answer the same,” the head of Iranian diplomacy continued.
