Rome, May 23 (IANS) Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and his delegation arrived in Rome on Friday to participate in the fifth round of indirect talks with the United States. The talks are being facilitated by Oman with Steve Witkoff, the US President’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, leading the delegation from Washington.
"Set to travel to Rome for the 5th round of indirect talks with the United States. Figuring out the path to a deal is not rocket science: Zero nuclear weapons = we DO have a deal. Zero enrichment = we do NOT have a deal. Time to decide, ” Araghchi posted on X before departing for Italy.
Araghchi on Thursday said that there will be no nuclear agreement if the US seeks to cease Iran's uranium enrichment.
He made the remarks in a live interview broadcast by the state-run IRIB TV ahead of the fifth round of indirect nuclear talks between Iranian and US delegations in Rome on Friday.
“Fundamental differences still exist between us. The US side does not believe in uranium enrichment in Iran. If this is their objective, there would be no agreement, ” Araghchi said while responding to US officials' recent demands that Tehran should completely stop uranium enrichment on its soil.
“However, if they seek that Iran does not move toward nuclear weapons, this can be achieved. We do not seek nuclear weapons, ” he said
Araghchi noted that the nuclear deal signed between Iran and several other countries in 2015 was no longer effective, "but it does not mean that the deal is dead, " adding that the agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, could be revived, Xinhua news agency reported.
However, Araghchi emphasised that Iran would not give up its nuclear programme, including uranium enrichment.
Iran and the US have earlier held four rounds of indirect talks on Tehran's nuclear programme and the lifting of US sanctions through the mediation of Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al-Busaid.
Earlier on Wednesday US Department of State identified Iran’s construction sector as being controlled directly or indirectly by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who only build terror and chaos, and identified 10 additional strategic materials that Iran is using in connection with its nuclear, military, or ballistic missile programs, said department spokesperson Tammy Bruce in a statement.
“With these determinations, the United States has broader sanctions authorities to prevent Iran from acquiring strategic materials for its construction sector under IRGC control and its proliferation programs, ” Bruce added
Recently, US officials have repeatedly demanded that Iran completely cease its uranium enrichment activities, a request that Tehran has firmly rejected, insisting the issue is "non-negotiable".