Iran stated that it does not oppose nuclear negotiations with the United States, but emphasized that the suspension of uranium enrichment cannot be a subject of negotiation.

Ali Akbar Velayati, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's top adviser on international affairs. /Courtesy of Reuters=Yonhap News

Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor on international issues to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, noted on the 14th (local time) that he does not oppose negotiations that are conducted without preconditions and respect Iran's red lines, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

Advisor Velayati emphasized during a meeting in Tehran with Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi that, "They claim Iran must give up uranium enrichment, but that is one of our red lines," adding, "Negotiations conditioned on the cessation of enrichment are unacceptable."

These comments came right after Esmail Baghaei, the Spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, noted that "the schedule for talks with the United States has not been set." During a regular briefing, Baghaei said, "The meeting between Special Envoy Steven Vitzikoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has yet to determine the date, time, and location."

Special Envoy Vitzikoff and Minister Araghchi have engaged in five rounds of indirect negotiations since April under the mediation of Oman. However, negotiations were suspended ten days ago due to Israel's surprise attack, which ignited a war in the Middle East. Following a ceasefire that took effect last month on the 24th, both sides have informally sought to resume negotiations.

Iran signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with major countries, including the United States, during the Obama administration in 2015, limiting uranium enrichment levels and the reprocessing of nuclear fuel, but did not cease enrichment altogether.

However, in 2018, the Trump administration unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and restored sanctions against Iran. Subsequently, during the Trump administration's second term, the U.S. demanded a complete halt to uranium enrichment and conducted airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last month.

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