Iran is seeking a nuclear deal with the United States that brings economic benefits to both sides, an Iranian diplomat said today.
Iran and the United States resumed talks on their nuclear program in early February to resolve a decades-old dispute and prevent a new military conflict, the British agency Reuters reports on its website.
The US recently sent a second aircraft carrier, joining a flotilla already in the Arabian Sea, and is preparing for the possibility of military intervention if negotiations are not successful, US officials told the agency.
"For the durability of the agreement, it is necessary that the US also benefits in areas with high and rapid economic returns," said Hamid Ghanbari, deputy director of the Foreign Ministry for Economic Diplomacy, according to the Fars news agency.
Iran has threatened retaliation for any US attack, but Ganbari took a conciliatory stance today.
“Joint interests in oil and gas fields, joint fields, mining investments and even the purchase of aircraft are included in the negotiations,” Ganbari said, arguing that the 2015 nuclear pact with world powers had failed to secure US economic interests.
In 2018, during his first term, US President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the agreement that eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program and reimposed economic sanctions on Tehran.
A US delegation, led by envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, is scheduled to meet with Iranian officials in Geneva on Tuesday.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Taht-Ravanchi has hinted at Tehran's willingness to compromise on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, telling the BBC that "the ball is in America's court to prove that it wants to reach a deal."
He cited a statement by the head of Iran's atomic administration on Monday that the country could agree to dilute its most enriched uranium in exchange for sanctions relief to show flexibility.
The official, however, reiterated that Tehran would not accept zero uranium enrichment.
Washington suspects that Iran is planning to use enriched uranium to produce nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies.
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