Iran says it "needs more time" before resuming nuclear talks with US

Tehran [Iran], July 1 : Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has dismissed the possibility of a quick resumption of nuclear talks with the United States, despite US President Donald Trump's remarks suggesting negotiations could restart as early as this week, Al Jazeera reported.

Araghchi's comments came during an interview on CBS Evening News on Monday, as foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations issued a joint statement calling for renewed dialogue to curb Iran's nuclear programme.

Iran and the US were engaged in talks when Israel launched attacks on Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure. The US subsequently joined the offensive, targeting the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan sites on June 21.

Tehran maintains its nuclear programme is peaceful, while the US and Israel say they aim to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Araghchi said Iran would not reengage in talks unless it received guarantees that no further military attacks would occur during the negotiations.

"In order for us to decide to reengage, we would have to first ensure that America will not revert back to targeting us in a military attack during the negotiations," he said. "I think with all these considerations, we still need more time," he added, while noting that "the doors of diplomacy will never slam shut."

The Trump administration is pursuing renewed talks with Tehran after previously withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear agreement during Trump's first term. That deal had capped uranium enrichment at 3.67 percent in exchange for sanctions relief. Following the US withdrawal, Iran increased enrichment to 60 percent, still below weapons grade but above civilian use.

Trump has claimed that US strikes had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear sites, with senior US officials saying it would be nearly impossible for Iran to revive its atomic programme.

Araghchi rejected that claim. "One cannot obliterate the technology and science for enrichment through bombings," he told CBS. "If there is this will on our part, and the will exists in order to once again make progress in this industry, we will be able to expeditiously repair the damages and make up for the lost time."

Al Jazeera's Resul Serdar, reporting from Tehran, said tensions have increased between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). "They [Iranians] are saying that they will only allow the inspectors to return once they secure the nuclear sites" that were bombed by the US and Israel, Serdar reported.

Iran has suspended cooperation with the IAEA following what President Masoud Pezeshkian described as the agency chief's "destructive" behaviour.

Meanwhile, the G7 foreign ministers welcomed the ceasefire between Iran and Israel and called for renewed negotiations.

"We call for the resumption of negotiations, resulting in a comprehensive, verifiable and durable agreement that addresses Iran's nuclear program," they said in a joint statement on Monday. They also urged "all parties to avoid actions that could further destabilise the region," Al Jazeera reported.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor