Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has announced that Tehran is ready to restart nuclear negotiations if other parties are willing to do so. Araghchi stated that talks on Iran’s nuclear program could begin as early as this week, should the other parties show a willingness to engage. He acknowledged that regional tensions pose a challenge to reviving the negotiation process.
President Masoud Pezeshkian is due to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, with Araghchi also attending the meetings. Pezeshkian, a relatively moderate leader, has expressed a desire to resume talks with Western powers in order to lift sanctions and ease economic pressure on Iran.
The 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), aimed to curb Iranian nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. However, the agreement was abandoned by former US President Donald Trump in 2018, who imposed fresh sanctions on Iran.
The composition of Pezeshkian’s cabinet suggests a willingness to re-engage with the West, as both Araghchi and Deputy for Strategic Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif played key roles in negotiating the JCPOA. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has also expressed support for engaging with the “enemy” in order to reduce hostility.
Despite a desire for rapprochement, tensions in the region remain high as Iran has aligned itself with parties at odds with the US and its allies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Iran’s ties with Russia have also drawn criticism, with accusations of supporting Moscow’s actions in Ukraine. Araghchi has denied these claims, stating they are based on faulty intelligence.
Overall, while the path to negotiations with the US may not be clear, Iran is open to reducing costs and seeking a resolution to the ongoing hostility.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
