Tehran Will Not Change Its Position, Ready to Resume Nuclear Talks with US, Supreme Leader's Advisor

Iran is ready to resume nuclear talks with the United States, provided they are conducted with full respect. This was stated by Kamal Kharrazi, the foreign policy advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, in an interview with CNN, asserting that Tehran will not change the position it held before the attacks by the US and Israel in June.

“They must take the first step to show that they are ready to cooperate with us on the conditions we have proposed. This must be based on equality and mutual respect. Unfortunately, President Trump does not believe in diplomatic intervention, preferring to use force to achieve his goals,” Kharrazi said.

Kharrazi noted that Iran's conditions for rapprochement with Washington have not changed since the attacks on its nuclear facilities by the US and Israel in June, adding that uranium enrichment will continue as the country needs fuel for power plants and for medical purposes. He also mentioned that Tehran’s ballistic missile program, which he said is expanding, will be taken off the negotiation table.

“With the United States, we will only discuss the nuclear issue,” he specified.

Kharrazi emphasized that nearly five months after the damage to Iran's nuclear facilities, the extent of the damage has still not been assessed. The Trump administration and Iran were in negotiations to resolve their dispute in June when Israel unexpectedly launched an attack on Iran, ultimately involving Washington, which struck three Iranian nuclear facilities—the first direct US attack on Iran.

Earlier, the US President had indicated during a meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince that he was open to negotiations with Iran.