Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian orders start of nuclear talks with the US, as Donald Trump expresses hope for a deal to avert military action.
PARIS: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (pic) has ordered the start of nuclear talks with the United States, according to local media reports.
The news agency Fars cited an unnamed government source on Monday, stating “President Pezeshkian has ordered the opening of talks with the United States.” The report was carried by several Iranian newspapers without specifying a date for the talks.
This development follows US President Donald Trump’s repeated statements that he is hopeful of securing a deal to avert military action against Iran. Trump has threatened military action and dispatched an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East following Iran’s deadly response to anti-government protests.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran was finalising the details of a diplomatic process. “Several points have been addressed and we are examining and finalising the details of each stage in the diplomatic process, which we hope to conclude in the coming days,” he said.
Trump had previously warned that “time is running out” for a deal on Iran’s nuclear programme, which the West believes is aimed at developing an atomic bomb. Baqaei responded that Iran “never accepts ultimatums.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicated a potential basis for agreement in a CNN interview. “President Trump said no nuclear weapons, and we fully agree. That could be a very good deal,” Araghchi said. “Of course, in return, we expect sanctions lifting.”
Regional diplomacy has intensified, with Araghchi holding talks with counterparts from Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Baqaei suggested neighbouring states fear any US attack would drag the region into conflict, echoing a warning from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Tensions remain high following recent anti-government protests in Iran. Authorities have acknowledged thousands of deaths, attributing the violence to “terrorist acts” and foreign interference.
The European Union’s recent listing of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation prompted a retaliatory designation from Iranian lawmakers against European armies. Baqaei confirmed the foreign ministry had summoned all EU member state ambassadors in Tehran over the move.
Iranian state television also announced the arrest of four foreigners in Tehran for “participation in riots,” without specifying their nationalities.
