Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Warns U.S. Threats May Prompt Response

The Deputy Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran has stated that the positions and statements of American officials differ between negotiation rooms and outside of them. This was reported by the Tasnim news agency.

Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi criticized the contradictory positions of the United States in an interview with the German weekly Der Spiegel, warning that the continuation of Washington's current approach could lead to the failure of the negotiations.

Takht-Ravanchi emphasized that uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes is of central importance to Iran and is non-negotiable. He stated, "If the U.S. insists on zero enrichment, then the negotiations will not be successful."

The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister then declared that enrichment is a key part of the achievements of the Iranian people, and Tehran will uphold its right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

He also dismissed speculations about potential limitations such as enrichment being capped for 25 years, stating that negotiations have not yet reached detailed discussions on this issue.

Iran’s chief negotiator criticized the instability of America’s positions, saying, "Americans say one thing outside the negotiation room and another inside. One American official says one thing, while another makes different statements."

He added that America's inclination to mediate has hurt the trust necessary for progress in the negotiations. Takht-Ravanchi emphasized, "It is important for us that the talks remain in the negotiation room and are not conducted through the media. If America wants to deprive us of our rights, we will certainly not agree to that."

Regarding the possibility of reaching an agreement, Takht-Ravanchi clarified Iran's condition: "If America does not raise unimportant issues at the table and stops intimidating, there is a good opportunity for an agreement." Iran believes in dialogue and cooperation based on mutual respect. Any coercion or threat is unacceptable to us."

He warned that military threats, including those from U.S. President Donald Trump, could lead to Iran taking countermeasures.