Iran says it’s considering US offer to restart nuclear talks

Iran’s foreign minister said the US is trying to revive nuclear talks with Tehran, while stressing that his country is in no hurry to resume negotiations.

“The Americans insist on returning to the negotiating table,” Mr Abbas Araghchi said in televised remarks on July 12, adding that Iran has received “multiple messages”.

Tehran is weighing its options regarding the timing, location, and structure of potential talks, but is “in no rush to enter into reckless negotiations”.

Mr Araghchi served as lead negotiator in Oman-mediated talks with the US, which collapsed after Israel launched a

surprise attack on Iran’s nuclear sites on June 13

.

The strikes killed several top military and nuclear officials, and hit densely populated urban areas as well as Tehran’s Evin Prison.

His remarks follow US President Donald Trump’s

July 7 dinner

with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where he said he was open to lifting sanctions on Iran.

Mr Trump’s special envoy, Mr Steve Witkoff, who led the US delegation in the earlier talks, said a meeting with Iran was expected within the week.

Mr Araghchi also said that Iran needs guarantees it won’t be attacked again if the talks don’t succeed. “Some assurances have been expressed that there will be no war again, and we are reviewing these,” he said without elaborating.

“If an opportunity arises to secure the interests of the Iranian people, we won’t miss it. The doors of diplomacy are never closed.”

The US joined the Israeli assault on June 22,

striking three Iranian nuclear facilities.

Mr Trump claimed to have “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, while Iranian officials said the sites were “badly damaged” but not destroyed.

In response, Iran fired missiles at a Qatari airbase used by US troops. A ceasefire between Iran and Israel took effect later in June and has held so far, despite both sides accusing each other of violations.

Mr Araghchi also reiterated that Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency “has not stopped”, though he added that monitoring requests will now be reviewed “on a case-by-case basis” and handled exclusively through Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. BLOOMBERG