No conclusion will be reached in US-Iran peace negotiations if the US insists on discussing Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told state media outlet Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Friday.
“The negotiations are focused on ending the war, and the issues related to the nuclear issue are not going to be discussed in detail at this stage,” Baghaei stated. “Therefore, if we try to go into the details of this issue at this stage, we will not reach a conclusion.”
Baghaei claimed that US demands aimed at tempering Iran’s nuclear ambitions were “unreasonable” and “excessive,” blaming the American efforts for causing previous peace negotiations to collapse.
Pakistani mediators arrive in Tehran
Baghaei noted to IRNA that senior Pakistani officials had arrived in Tehran to further mediation efforts aimed at resolving Iran’s war with the US and Israel.
“We cannot say that we have reached a point where an agreement is close,” Baghaei asserted, describing the peace process as ongoing but “neither unnatural nor natural.”
“I have said before that the differences of opinion between Iran and the United States are so deep and numerous,” Baghaei continued, adding that he can not give a definitive estimate for when an agreement may be reached.
Baghaei emphasized that Tehran’s main focus for negotiations is “the issue of ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.” He noted that ending the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is also a priority.
“For now, our focus is on ending the war,” Baghaei told IRNA, stating that Iran may be willing to discuss the nuclear issue once a deal that meets Iran’s interests and concerns is reached.