Kuwait City: The head of Iran's Strategic Council for External Relations, Kamal Kharrazi, affirmed on Thursday that Tehran was ready to hold indirect negotiations with the United States of America.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the official news agency, IRNA, quoted Kharrazi as stating that "all avenues have not been shut and Iran is ready to hold indirect negotiations to assess the other party and declare its terms and take the right decision." Kharrazi commented on a recent message from US President Donald Trump to the Iranian leadership, noting that the US strategy involves calling for negotiations amidst tightened economic curbs and military threats aimed at pressuring Iran to accept negotiations, the terms of which remain unclear.
Kharrazi, who is a former foreign minister, expressed that President Trump's stance and the unclear overtures by some American officials are designed to create false optimism and incite divisions within Iran. He described Washington's actions as psychological warfare, conveying a message that presents a choice between war and negotiations. Kharrazi urged Trump to engage with Iran on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi revealed on March 12 that Anwar Qerqash, the diplomatic advisor to the UAE President, delivered a message from the US president to the Iranian leadership, though the contents were not disclosed. However, Trump publicly stated that he had sent a message to the Iranian Supreme Guide, Ali Khamenei, urging him to negotiate a new nuclear deal.
During his first term, Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal with Iran, which was based on suspending the Iranian nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions on the country.