“We have never had any problems in negotiations, but negotiations are different from dictation, orders and bullying. Whenever the negotiating parties are ready to negotiate on an equal footing, aiming to reach an agreement based on mutual respect and without intimidation or intimidation, the Islamic Republic of Iran is also ready,” Araghchi said on Thursday, as reported by IRNA.
He made the remarks while addressing local officials in Iran’s northwestern East Azarbaijan province during a meeting in the regional capital Tabriz on economic diplomacy.
“The flag of negotiation and diplomacy in Iran has never been lowered, and negotiations only have meaning if they are free of threats and pressure and are based on mutual respect and common interests,” he said.
The top diplomat stressed that Iran is also ready to take steps toward constructive negotiations whenever the other country is ready for “fair and respectful dialogue.”
Araghchi, who arrived in East Azarbaijan on Wednesday afternoon to attend a national seminar on Iranian diplomacy and territorial integrity, touched on other issues in his talks with local officials.
He detailed the steps taken by President Massoud Pezeshkian’s administration to delegate greater powers to state authorities and expand national economic diplomacy to the state level, as part of its efforts to boost economic growth.
He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was tasked with removing obstacles to economic growth, adding that the main obstacle was sanctions, and that the ministry was working to lift or circumvent sanctions through expanding economic ties.
Iran is under economic sanctions due to its conflict with Western countries, particularly the United States, over its peaceful nuclear energy program. The United States maintains that Iran should not have a uranium enrichment program, but Iran strongly rejects this position, saying it has the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.
When Israel, with US support, launched a war of aggression against Iran in June of this year, Iran and the US were in talks to resolve the conflict.
The United States also entered the war by bombing three of Iran’s major nuclear facilities. Iran now insists that any talks are meaningless as long as threats and pressure continue.
RHM/