Iran appreciates offers to mediate with US, says minister

Iran’s Foreign Minister said on Wednesday that his country appreciates offers to mediate with the United States. Mohammad Javad Zarif told the Persian-language media in Iran that such offers are normal because there are no official relations between the two countries.

“There is no doubt that countries in the region,” he added, “especially those which are as wise as the Sultanate of Oman, would offer initiatives that prevent the crisis from escalating.” The minister stressed his country’s desire to maintain security and stability in the region and to restore relations with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain through dialogue.

On 31 July, Omani Foreign Minister Yousuf Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah said in an interview with Al Jazeera that his country was ready to help avoid a conflict between Iran and the United States.

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Commenting on the escalation of the crisis between Iran and the US, Zarif said that the US has never been credible. “The American President does not care about the Iranian people and international commitments,” he noted.

In response to the US proposal to hold negotiations with Iran without preconditions, the Foreign Minister pointed out that the problem is not negotiating with the US, but the extent of confidence in their outcome. Nobody, he insisted, wants to enter into futile negotiations that waste a lot of time.