Iran ‘needs more time’ to decide on resuming nuclear talks with US

Foreign minister’s comments travel arsenic the G7 calls for negotiations connected a woody to code Iran’s atomic programme.

Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi has ruled retired a speedy resumption of talks with the United States aft President Donald Trump said US negotiations with Tehran could restart arsenic aboriginal arsenic this week.

Araghchi’s comments connected CBS Evening News connected Monday came arsenic the overseas ministers of the G7 issued a connection calling for dialog connected a woody to curb Iran’s atomic programme.

Iran and the US were holding talks connected Tehran’s atomic programme erstwhile Israel launched attacks connected Iran’s atomic and subject infrastructure. The US aboriginal joined successful Israel’s attacks, by bombing the Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan sites connected June 21.

Tehran insists its programme is peaceful, but the US and Israel accidental they privation to guarantee Iran cannot physique a atomic weapon.

Araghchi said negotiations would not commencement arsenic rapidly arsenic Trump had indicated, and that Iran archetypal needs assurances against further attacks.

“In bid for america to determine to reengage, we would person to archetypal guarantee that America volition not revert backmost to targeting america successful a subject onslaught during the negotiations,” the curate said.

“I deliberation with each these considerations, we inactive request much time,” helium said, though “the doors of diplomacy volition ne'er slam shut”.

The Trump medication is seeking talks with Iran aft the US president, during his archetypal term, abandoned an statement his predecessor signed with Tehran successful 2015, which curbed the atomic programme successful speech for sanctions relief. Under that deal, Iran was allowed to enrich uranium beneath 3.67 percent purity for substance utilized successful commercialized atomic powerfulness plants.

After Trump ditched the deal, Iran responded by producing uranium enriched to 60 percent, supra levels for civilian usage but inactive beneath weapons grade.

Trump has said the US attacks had “obliterated” Iran’s atomic sites, and elder officials said it would beryllium astir intolerable for the state to resurrect its atomic programme.

Araghchi pushed backmost against that assertion, however.

“One cannot obliterate the exertion and subject for enrichment done bombings,” helium told CBS. “If determination is this volition connected our part, and the volition exists successful bid to erstwhile again marque advancement successful this industry, we volition beryllium capable to expeditiously repair the damages and marque up for the mislaid time.”

Since the US and Israeli attacks, and the ensuing ceasefire, Iran has enactment connected clasp its practice with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) owed to what Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian connected Monday called the the bureau chief’s “destructive” behaviour towards the country.

Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from Tehran, said tensions are increasing betwixt Iran and the IAEA.

“They [Iranians] are saying that they volition lone let the inspectors to instrumentality erstwhile they unafraid the atomic sites” that person been bombed by the US and Israel, Serdar said.

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations, meanwhile, said they supported the ceasefire betwixt Iran and Israel, and urged for negotiations betwixt Tehran and Washington to resume.

“We telephone for the resumption of negotiations, resulting successful a comprehensive, verifiable and durable statement that addresses Iran’s atomic program,” the G7 overseas ministers said connected Monday.

The ministers besides urged “all parties to debar actions that could further destabilise the region”.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies