Iran Refuses Negotiations Under U.S. President Trump’s Conditions

Iran has declared it will not negotiate based on U.S. President Trump’s terms. During Lavrov’s visit to Tehran, Iran welcomed Russian efforts for diplomatic discussions while not conceding to U.S. pressures. The JCPOA’s failure since the U.S. exit in 2018 has prompted Iran to deviate from its commitments, with a reduction in IAEA oversight.

Iran has explicitly stated that it will not negotiate under the terms set by the President of the United States, Donald Trump. This declaration was made by a senior Iranian official during a conversation with reporters, as reported by News.Az and citing the New York Times. The comment followed a visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Tehran, where he conveyed his country’s readiness to facilitate nuclear discussions with the United States.

Tehran welcomed Russia’s initiative but reiterated that it would not acquiesce to any conditions imposed by President Trump. The discourse comes at a time when President Trump has reinstated maximum pressure on Iran through an executive order signed on February 5, indicating a hope that such measures will not be executed too frequently. Furthermore, he expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with the Iranian president at some point.

The diplomatic landscape shifted significantly after the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) took effect on January 16, 2016, among Iran and the P5+1 countries. These talks deteriorated when the United States withdrew from the deal on May 8, 2018, and initiated sanctions against Iran starting in November 2018. Consequently, Iran declared that it would no longer adhere to the nuclear deal’s restrictions by 2020.

In 2020, in response to these sanctions, the Iranian parliament adopted a strategic approach regarding its nuclear activities, effectively suspending further compliance with the nuclear deal’s Additional Protocol as of February 23, 2021. This led to a notable decrease in the monitoring capabilities of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) by 20-30%. Despite these maneuvers, Iran maintains its official stance against the development of nuclear weapons, emphasizing its opposition to the production of weapons of mass destruction.

In summary, Iran firmly rejected negotiations based on terms dictated by the U.S. President, opting instead to engage through Russian mediation. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to exert pressure while expressing a willingness for dialogue. The JCPOA’s effectiveness has waned since the U.S. withdrawal in 2018, leading Iran to abandon its commitments under the deal and raising concerns over nuclear oversight. Iran asserts that its nuclear strategy does not aim at weaponization, distinguishing its actions from nuclear proliferation aspirations.

Original Source: news.az