Iran insists it does not seek concessions from the US, says it is only pursuing its rights
Iranian authorities have reiterated that they are not seeking any concessions from the United States in the ongoing indirect talks, brokered by Pakistan. Tehran says it only wants its rights restored and calls for the removal of sanctions.
In the latest remarks, reported by Tasnim News Agency and cited by Anadolu Agency, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, said on Friday that Iran does not want any concessions from the United States; it merely wants its rights to be restored. He added that Tehran demands an end to what he called American crimes against the Iranian people.
“Sanctions must be lifted, frozen Iranian assets must be unfrozen and made available to the country,” he said. “Over the past five decades, we have endured what they themselves describe as ‘crippling’ sanctions.”
Baghaei said sanctions have been imposed under various pretexts, especially those relating to what the U.S. claims is a nuclear threat from Iran. “There is no nuclear threat from Iran to any actor in the region or the world,” he asserted.
He also discussed developments at the Hormuz Strait, criticising the sea blockade imposed by the U.S. as a move that is “entirely contrary to international law” and urged Washington to take steps to end the blockade.
Tensions in the region remain high after the United States and Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran at the end of February. Tehran responded with a wave of missile and drone strikes against targets in Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. forces.
Iran also effectively curtailed crossing activity through the Hormuz Strait, a strategic waterway for global oil and gas supplies. The U.S. responded by imposing a blockade on ships departing from or heading to Iranian ports via this vital waterway.
A ceasefire was put in place from 8 April, achieved through Pakistani mediation. However, peace talks in Islamabad following the ceasefire failed to reach a permanent agreement to end the war.
Pakistan continues its mediation efforts, even as the two countries maintain their respective demands.
This week, a senior Iranian source told Reuters that the gaps in the US-Iran talks have narrowed, although issues over uranium enrichment and the Hormuz Strait remain among the points of contention.
President Donald Trump has vowed that the United States will secure the supply of enriched uranium up to weapons-grade levels for Iran, though Tehran has repeatedly insisted it will not surrender such material.
Separately, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a directive stating that enriched uranium approaching weapons-grade level should not be sent abroad.