Senior diplomats from Iran, Russia and China met in Beijing on Friday for talks on Tehran’s nuclear issue, days after Iran refused a “order” to resume talks over Iran’s nuclear program based on the threat of Washington, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.
In 2015, Iran signed contracts with the US, Russia, China, the UK, France and Germany, agreeing to limit its peaceful nuclear program in exchange for lifting international sanctions. But in 2018, Donald Trump was illegally and unilaterally drawn from the agreement a year after his first term at the White House.
Last week, Trump said he had sent a letter to Iranian leaders suggesting talks with the Islamic Republic. However, Iranian President Masuud Pezeshkian said he would not negotiate with the United States while he was “under threat,” and that Iran would not tell us any “orders.”
In a statement Wednesday evening, Islamic Revolution leader Ayatollah Seiz Ali Khamenei responded to a statement made by US President Donald Trump regarding negotiations with Iran, preparations for an agreement, and letters he sent to Iran.
The leader characterized these actions as attempts to deceive global public opinion, saying, “Iran, unlike us, is reluctant to negotiate and reach an agreement.” But the very individual making these claims are the same person who tore the outcome of previous negotiations with the United States. How can we negotiate with people who know we don’t respect their commitment? ”
“The lack of trust between the two parties in a state of war does not hinder negotiations,” the leader said the claim was wrong. He explained that if the negotiators are not confident in the loyalty and commitment of the opposite side to the outcome of the dialogue, they will not engage in negotiations as such arguments are futile and meaningless.
“From the beginning, our aim in negotiations has been to eliminate sanctions and, fortunately, it gradually loses its impact as the process is extended,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.
The leader emphasized that some Americans also believe that extensions of sanctions will reduce their impact. “And also, authorized countries will find ways to avoid these sanctions. We have discovered a variety of ways to do so,” he added.
In response to the US claim that Iran would prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, the leader said, “If we wanted to build nuclear weapons, the US wouldn’t have been able to stop us. We wouldn’t own or pursue nuclear weapons.”
MNA