Wikipedia
MOSCOW: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed skepticism regarding the United States’ intentions, just one day prior to the commencement of a second round of nuclear negotiations with Washington.
This upcoming round follows a week after the two nations engaged in their most significant discussions since US President Donald Trump withdrew from a pivotal nuclear agreement in 2018.
“While we harbor serious doubts about the intentions and motivations of the American side, we will nonetheless participate in tomorrow’s negotiations,” Araghchi stated during a press conference in Moscow alongside his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
On Saturday, Araghchi is scheduled to travel to Rome for a new series of Oman-mediated discussions with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
“We are fully prepared to seek a peaceful resolution regarding Iran’s nuclear program,” Araghchi affirmed.
Lavrov indicated that Moscow is willing to assume any role that would be beneficial from Iran’s perspective and acceptable to the United States.
Since the onset of its military offensive in Ukraine in February 2022, Russia, which possesses the largest confirmed nuclear arsenal globally, has strengthened its military cooperation with Iran.
Western nations, including the United States, have long accused Iran of attempting to develop nuclear weapons, a claim that Tehran has consistently refuted, asserting that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful civilian use.
On Tuesday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared that the nation’s military capabilities would not be part of the discussions.
The official IRNA news agency reported that Iran’s regional influence and missile capabilities—often criticized by Western governments—were among its “red lines” in the negotiations.
