Tehran and Washington have been at loggerheads since May last year when US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal and began reimposing crippling sanctions.
Iran President Hassan Rouhani (Photo: AFP)
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday ruled out holding any bilateral talks with the United States and threatened to further cut Iran’s commitments to a nuclear deal within days.
During an address to Parliament, Rouhani said any dialogue with the US would have to fall within the framework of the group of major powers that agreed to a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran in 2015.
He further said, “Iran was ready to further reduce its commitments to the accord “in the coming days” if current negotiations with European nations yield no results by Thursday”.
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Tehran and Washington have been at loggerheads since May last year when US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal and began reimposing crippling sanctions.
Iran has hit back with countermeasures in response to the US withdrawal from the deal, which gave it the promise of relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.
President Rouhani also said that “third step will be enacted in the coming days” unless the remaining parties to the deal honour their own commitments.
However, “if the US lifts its sanctions (against Iran), it would be possible for the US to attend the P5+1 talks”, he said.
Last week, Rouhani said that the US should lift sanctions against Iran as a precondition for negotiations.
Iranian officials have stressed that for any talks with the US, Washington should return to Tehran’s nuclear deal from which it withdrew in 2018 and implement its obligation under the accord.
(With Agencies inputs)
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