US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that his country supports diplomacy and dialogue in the Iranian nuclear file, but is studying other options if negotiations fail, while Tehran renewed its condition to lift sanctions to enter into direct talks with Washington.

In an interview with CNN, Blinken affirmed that Washington still sees diplomacy as the best way to deal with the Iranian nuclear program, and that his country, Germany, France and Britain are united in their efforts to bring Iran back to the nuclear agreement.

Tehran announced last week that it would resume talks with the "4+1 group" this November to revive the 2015 agreement on Iran's nuclear program, after a 5-month hiatus.

Tehran terms

On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh stressed not to enter into direct negotiations with Washington before it lifts sanctions and returns to compliance with the nuclear agreement.

Khatibzadeh added that Iran does not seek to acquire nuclear weapons, noting that Washington's threat that all options are on the table "is repetitive words, and it must adopt a logical policy."

Khatibzadeh said that his country will announce this week the date for the resumption of nuclear negotiations (Anatolia - Archive)

He called on Washington to demonstrate good faith and abandon the idea of ​​retaining part of the sanctions of former President Donald Trump, adding, "We do not seek to acquire nuclear weapons, and no party has the right to accuse us of that."

He said that his country will announce this week the date of resuming nuclear negotiations with the "4+1" countries, stressing that the Vienna negotiations will achieve results if Washington returns with a correct practical plan.

He added, "Contrary to what was stated in the statement, uranium mining and the production of highly enriched uranium, as we mentioned earlier, is used for peaceful purposes. Such positions are irrelevant and will not have constructive consequences."

artistic and professional

Khatibzadeh stressed that Tehran's relations with the International Atomic Energy Agency are technical, professional and strong and will remain so. He also warned that Tehran will not tolerate defending its national security, and that Israel is well aware of its military capabilities.

In 2015 an agreement was concluded in Vienna between Iran and the "5+1" group (China, the United States, France, Britain, Russia and Germany) that provides for easing international sanctions in exchange for restricting Iran's nuclear program, and setting guarantees that it will not develop an atomic bomb.

Washington, under former President Donald Trump, withdrew from the agreement unilaterally in 2018, and re-imposed sanctions on Iran that were stipulated in the agreement to be lifted. In return, Tehran gradually abandoned the restrictions contained in the agreement.

US President Joe Biden expressed his readiness to return to the agreement, provided that Iran resumes its commitments simultaneously.