Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi today rejected the possibility of any direct negotiations with the United States in the context of US President Donald Trump's current "maximum pressure" over Iran's nuclear program.
Trump was the architect of the so-called maximum pressure policy towards Iran during his first term (2017-2021), with the re-imposition of sanctions to weaken the country economically and isolate it on the international stage.
Since his return to power in January, Trump has said he now favors negotiations with Iran to control its nuclear program, but has also tightened sanctions on the country.
"We will not negotiate under pressure, threats or sanctions," Araghchi said, a day after the US imposed new sanctions on Iran, related to oil sales.
The Iranian foreign minister added that there will therefore be no direct negotiations between Iran and the US on the nuclear issue, as long as "maximum pressure is exerted in this way."
Araghchi made the remarks during a meeting in Tehran with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
Iran reached an agreement with France, Germany, the UK, China, Russia and the US on its nuclear program in Vienna in 2015. In return, the text provided for the easing of international sanctions on Tehran.
However, in 2018, Trump, then the first-term US president, unilaterally withdrew his country from the agreement and reimposed severe sanctions on Iran.
In response, Tehran increased its reserves of enriched uranium to 60 percent, while 90 percent is needed to make atomic weapons.
Iran defends its right to develop a nuclear program for civilian purposes, especially energy, but denies that it wants to build an atomic bomb, although Western countries suspect this.
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