Iran Rejects Russia’s Mediation, Says Has No Plans for Direct Talks with US

A senior Iranian official says the country has no plans for direct negotiations with the United States.

Mahmoud Vaezi, the chief of staff of the President’s Office, made the comment in reaction to a recent proposal by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who has expressed Moscow’s readiness to mediate between Iran and the US.

“We have no intention of holding talks with the Americans and we have announced our position very clearly,” said Vaezi.

“We announced that if the Americans come to realize their mistakes and understand that they have adopted the wrong approach toward Iran, and announce it bravely and say that ‘we made a mistake,’ [then the possibility of talks could be considered]” he said.

He said it was not only Lavrov to have offered to mediate between Tehran and Washington, adding other countries have tried, too, to find a solution to this issue.

“The Americans should return to the JCPOA and talk within the framework of the JCPOA; otherwise, no other move would bear fruit,” he noted.

Lavrov has announced Kremlin’s preparedness to set the stage for holding talks between Iran and the US if both countries are willing to. He once again dismissed as illegal and futile Washington’s attempts to reinstate international sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

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