Iranian President signals willingness for nuclear talks with US, stresses 'equal terms'

Tehran, Jan 16 (IANS) Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed readiness to engage in nuclear negotiations with the United States, provided discussions are conducted "on equal terms," the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

The IRNA said that the Iranian President recently did an interview with the US NBC News in Tehran, during which Pezeshkian underscored that Iran would not bow to external pressure.

"We are ready for negotiations. However, these talks must respect our honour and wisdom and be conducted on an equal footing. We will by no means submit to force," he said, according to the IRNA.

The President attributed past negotiation failures to the US's lack of commitment, particularly its withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

"We must be assured that the other side will adhere to what is written and signed," he emphasised, urging the West to lift sanctions. "They cannot impose sanctions one day and then expect us to negotiate the next."

Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran's stance on nuclear weapons, stressing that the country has no intention of developing nuclear arms and remains committed to international inspections of its nuclear facilities. "The international community is well aware of our position," he said, Xinhua news agency reported.

On regional matters, the Iranian leader condemned recent "acts of aggression by Israel," blaming them for fueling instability in the Middle East. While reiterating that Iran does not seek conflict, he warned of a "crushing response" if the nation comes under attack.

Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to put some curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the removal of sanctions. The United States, however, pulled out of the deal in May 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to scale back its commitments under the deal.

The talks to revive the JCPOA began in April 2021 in Vienna, Austria. Despite several rounds of talks, no significant breakthrough has been achieved.

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