Iran Open to Direct Talks with U.S. If Hostility Ends, Says President Pezeshkian

Iran could engage in direct talks with the U.S. if Washington shows non-hostility in practice, according to President Masoud Pezeshkian. Addressing a news conference, Pezeshkian expressed willingness to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, which was scrapped by former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018. Current President Joe Biden has sought to rekindle the agreement.

Iran is open to the possibility of direct talks with the United States, provided that Washington demonstrates in practice that it is not hostile to the Islamic Republic, President Masoud Pezeshkian declared on Monday.

At a news conference in Tehran, Pezeshkian addressed queries on whether Tehran would consider direct negotiations with the U.S. to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. Notably, former U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned that agreement in 2018, citing it was excessively favorable to Tehran, subsequently reinstating punitive U.S. sanctions on Iran. This led Tehran to begin breaching the accord's nuclear restrictions.

'We are not hostile towards the U.S. They should end their hostility towards us by showing their goodwill in practice,' Pezeshkian stated, adding, 'We are brothers with the Americans as well.' Since taking office in January 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden has attempted to negotiate the revival of the nuclear pact, under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief from the U.S., the European Union, and the United Nations. However, Iran has so far refused to engage directly with Washington, choosing instead to communicate through European or Arab intermediaries.

(With inputs from agencies.)