Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday described U.S. claims of seeking a diplomatic solution to Tehran’s nuclear program as a “deception,” according to Reuters.
US Desire for Diplomacy
US President Donald Trump’s Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff noted that Washington was in talks with Iran, expressing the US “desire” to reach a permanent solution to the ongoing dispute.
“America’s claim of a desire for diplomacy is nothing but deception and blatant contradiction; one cannot simultaneously bomb a country while engaging in diplomatic negotiations and speak of diplomacy,” ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said.
Iran and the US held five rounds of nuclear talks before Israel targeted Iranian nuclear facilities on June 13.
However, these talks faced key stumbling blocks such as uranium enrichment on Iranian soil, a step met with utter rejection by European powers which claimed that Tehran is enriching uranium for unpeaceful purposes.
Growing Tensions
Therefore, Britain, France and Germany on August 28 launched a 30-day process to reimpose UN sanctions – known as snapback – on Tehran.
Moreover, they accused Iran of falling to abide by a 2015 deal with world powers which prevents Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Notably, if Tehran and the Western countries fail to reach a diplomatic deal by the end of September 27, then all UN sanctions will be reimposed on Tehran.
Effects of Reimposing Sanctions
The imposition of sanctions would have critical consequences on Tehran where the economy already struggles with crippling sanctions reimposed since 2018 after Donald Trump withdrew from the pact during his first presidential term.
“I think we have a desire, however, to either realize a permanent solution and negotiate around snapbacks, and if we can’t, then snapbacks will be what they are. They’re the right medicine for what’s happening,” Witkoff said.
Overcoming Sanctions
“In which language do we have to say that we are ready to respect frameworks if you do too? What type of negotiations is it if they ask us to respect our commitments while they trample on their own?” Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday during a meeting with anti-war activists in New York.
Pezeshkian also pledged on Saturday that his country would overcome any reimposed sanctions under the “snapback” mechanism.
“Through the ‘snapback’ they block the road, but it is the brains and the thoughts that open or build the road,” he added.
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