Iran is ready to hold direct nuclear talks with the US if the conditions are right, First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said, quoted by “Reuters“, BTA reports.
He described as “a joke“ Washington's demand that Tehran completely abandon uranium enrichment.
The sixth round of talks between the two countries was interrupted after Israeli and American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June. The US and Israel accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons. A claim that Tehran denies.
“Iran is ready for talks on equal terms to protect its interests… The Islamic Republic's position is in "the direction that the people want, and if there are appropriate conditions, we are ready even for direct negotiations," Aref stressed.
Previous rounds of talks, which began in April, were held indirectly with the mediation of Oman. Washington insists that Iran's uranium enrichment is a path to producing nuclear weapons and must be stopped.
On Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also said he supported resuming dialogue with the United States, despite the high level of mistrust. "You don't want to talk? So what do you want to do? Do you want to fight?… Starting negotiations does not mean that we intend to surrender," he said, calling for a rational, not emotional, approach.