Iran ‘ready for nuclear talks with US but only if Washington rebuilds trust'
Iran is set to meet on Friday in Istanbul with the UK, France and Germany, known as the E3 nations, and the European Union's deputy foreign policy commissioner.
Advertisement
They will be the first talks since Iran's 12-day war with Israel in June, which involved US B-52 bombers striking nuclear-related facilities in Iran.
Mr Gharibabadi said in a social media post on Thursday that to enter negotiations, Iran sought 'several key principles' to be upheld.
He said these included 'rebuilding Iran's trust — as Iran has absolutely no trust in the United States — avoiding the use of talks as a platform for hidden agendas such as military action, though Iran remains fully prepared for any scenario; respecting and recognising Iran's rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, including enrichment in line with its legitimate needs; and the lifting of sanctions'.
A woman walks past a building damaged in an Israeli airstrike at a residential compound in Tehran (AP Photo)
Friday's talks will be held at the deputy ministerial level, with Iran sending deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-e Ravanchi. A similar meeting was held in Istanbul in May.
Advertisement
European leaders have threatened to trigger a 'snapback' mechanism included in a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which would reimpose sanctions that were lifted in exchange for Iran accepting restrictions and monitoring of its nuclear programme.
The UK, France and Germany were signatories to the 2015 deal. The US withdrew in 2018 during the first term of President Donald Trump, who insisted the agreement was not tough enough.
Iranian officials have warned that a move to reimpose sanctions would have consequences. Mr Gharibabadi said earlier this week that it could force Tehran to withdraw from key non-proliferation agreements.
In a letter to UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the E3 of hypocrisy, saying they failed to uphold their obligations under the 2015 deal while supporting Israel's recent strikes on Iran.
Advertisement
In the recent conflict, US B-52 bombers struck Iranian nuclear facilities in support of Israel's air campaign. Iran responded with missile attacks, including a strike on a US base in Qatar, which President Masoud Pezeshkian insisted was not directed at the Qatari state.
In an interview with Al Jazeera that aired on Wednesday, Mr Pezeshkian said Iran is prepared for another war and accused Israel of attempting to assassinate him during a June 15 meeting of Iran's national security council in Tehran.
Mr Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran's nuclear programme will continue within the framework of international law and insisted the country has no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons.
'Our nuclear capabilities are in the minds of our scientists,' he said, emphasising Iran's position that future negotiations must be rooted in mutual respect, not threats.
Advertisement
According to the official judicial news agency Mizan, at least 13 Iranian nuclear scientists were killed during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel.
A spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said on Thursday the country's nuclear industry would recover from the recent attacks by Israel and the US.
'Our nuclear industry is deeply rooted. What has roots cannot be harmed by attack or pressure — it will grow back and thrive again,' state TV quoted Behrouz Kamalvandi as saying.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported in May that Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% had grown to over 400 kilogrammes (882 pounds). That material, just below weapons-grade level, remains a central concern for the West.
Advertisement
Despite the growing stockpile, Iran has said it remains open to diplomacy, though it recently suspended co-operation with the IAEA following legislation signed by Mr Pezeshkian.
While European officials say they want to avoid further conflict and are open to a negotiated solution, they have warned that time is running out.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
21 minutes ago
- Reuters
US and EU clinch trade deal to avert prohibitive US tariffs, Trump says
TURNBERRY, Scotland, July 27 (Reuters) - The United States has struck a framework trade deal with Europe, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday, averting a spiralling row between two allies who account for almost a third of global trade. The deal, that includes a 15% tariff on EU goods entering the U.S. and significant EU purchases of U.S. energy and military equipment, will bring welcome clarity for EU companies. However, the baseline tariff of 15% will be seen by many in Europe as a poor outcome compared to the initial European ambition of a zero-for-zero tariff deal, although it is better than the threatened 30% rate. The announcement came after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen travelled to Scotland for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump to push a hard-fought deal over the line. Trump, who is seeking to reorder the global economy and reduce decades-old U.S. trade deficits, has so far reeled in agreements with Britain, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam, although his administration has failed to deliver on a promise of "90 deals in 90 days." Trump has periodically railed against the European Union saying it was "formed to screw the United States" on trade. His main bugbear is the U.S. merchandise trade deficit with the EU, which in 2024 reached $235 billion, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The EU points to the U.S. surplus in services, which it says partially redresses the balance.
BBC News
22 minutes ago
- BBC News
US and EU strike trade deal on tariffs after 'tough negotiations'
Update: Date: 18:37 BST Title: US-EU strike trade deal Content: US President Donald Trump has struck a trade deal with the European Union following meetings with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Stay with us as we bring you the details. Update: Date: 18:23 BST Title: Why are the US-EU trade ties so important? Content: Goods and services exchanged between the United States and European Union forms one of the world's largest trade relationships. They are each other's largest trade and investment partners. Total trade in goods between the EU and US totalled an estimated $975.9bn (£751.4bn) in 2024. Together, they account for almost a third of global trade in goods and services. Last year the US imported about $606bn (£451bn) in goods from the EU and exported around $370bn (£276bn). That imbalance, or trade deficit, is a sticking point for Donald Trump. He says trade relationships like this mean the US is "losing". Update: Date: 18:12 BST Title: Trump and EU chief enter crunch meeting Content: Thomas MackintoshLive reporter Welcome to our live coverage of crunch trade talks between the United States and European Union. "It is a beautiful Sunday in Scotland," Donald Trump said as he started a wide-ranging news conference inside the ballroom of his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland. Against the backdrop of the green fairways and bunkers, Trump sat next to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and said he "was not in a good mood". Although the US president didn't elaborate on why his spirits were low, he said there was a "50:50" chance the pair would strike a trade deal, explaining "we have three or four sticking points". "The EU has to be open to American products," Trump said at one point, while Von der Leyen added any deal would be about "fairness and rebalancing". The pair have now gone into a private meeting. Stay with us as we bring you the latest.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Trump blasts 'one-sided' trade as he meets EU Commission president on 'biggest deal' while raging at windmills at his golf course in Scotland
President Donald Trump inveighed against 'one-sided' trade with Europe as he sat down at his Turnberry golf course with the EU Commission president, while raging against windmills and saying there were prospects for reaching a deal imminently. 'It's been a very one-sided transaction – very unfair to the United States,' he complained as EU Commission Chair Ursula von der Leyen sat next to him, keeping her hands in her lap and her expressions muted. 'It's been a very very one-sided deal, and it shouldn't be,' Trump fumed. He said a deal, if it can be reached, would be the biggest deal 'ever struck by anybody.' His attacks quickly changed to wind turbines he said obstructs the view from his Scottish golf course. 'It ruins the landscape it kills the birds. They're noisy,' Trump complained. He said what he terms windmills in Massachusetts were 'driving them loco – driving them crazy.' Today I'm playing the best course, I think, in the world: Turnberry ... And I look over the horizon and I see nine windmills. I say isn't that a shame,' he said. On immigration, another tension point, Trump said: 'We've sealed our borders. We have nobody coming in ... I think they're going to end up in the same place. You might as well go there quicker.' The two leaders sat in the Donald J. Trump ballroom – one Trump said he wishes he could simply drop down inside the White House, where he has plans for a new ballroom. 'It's a great honor. You know we just built this ballroom,' Trump told her. The president is set to put some of the 'working' into his 'working trip' with a meeting set with The meeting came after Trump spent a second day on his Turnberry golf course Sunday – after raging at rivals from Democrats to Beyonce overnight. This time, he golfed just with his son Eric, despite touting a littany of big shots he said would be staying at his private course. 'We'll have numerous executives that we're meeting with – lot of them. We're going to be meeting with a lot of people. A lot of people will be staying at Turnberry,' Trump said after landing Friday night. His aides are calling it a 'working visit' – although he has made time to play his course for two successive days. There is a typically massive security footprint – including the rollout of a new armoured golf court after a phalanx of agents swept his course in search of potential security threats. The last minute addition to his schedule has Trump going toe-to-toe with a top European leader days after he said there was a 'fifty-fifty' chance of reaching a trade deal. If Trump wanted to send a message about what kind of contender she was dealing with, he posted a short video of himself swinging a driver at one of the tees on his Turnberry course. Trump also put in plug by golf legend Gary Player, quoting him as saying 'Turnberry is, without a question, in the Top Five Greatest Golf Courses I've ever played in my 73 years as a pro.' 'Thank you, Gary!' Trump added. Not all of his musings were upbeat – on a trip that Trump began by railing against wind turbines and illegal immigration. Trump used his site to fire at Democrats about the 2024 election, after spending part of the week accusing President Barack Obama of 'treason' after his administration released declassified documents about Russian election interference intelligence assessments. 'I'm looking at the large amount of money owed by the Democrats, after the Presidential Election, and the fact that they admit to paying, probably illegally, $11 million to singer Beyoncé for an endorsement (she never sang, not one note, and left the stage to a booing and angry audience!), $3 million for 'expenses,' to Oprah, $600,000 to very low rated TV 'anchor,' Al Sharpton (a total lightweight!), and others to be named for doing, absolutely nothing!' he wrote, sprinkling in all-caps. The Kamala Harris campaign has long denied paying for any endorsements. Oprah Winfrey has said she was 'not paid a time' to appear with Harris, although the campaign picked up production costs of the event. FEC filings show the Harris camp gave $165,000 to Beyonce's production company, Parkwood Prduction Media LLC, Trump called it 'totally illegal to pay for an endorsement and added that 'Kamala, and all those that received endorsement money, broke the law,' again using all caps.
