Iran no longer trusts US will for talks, deputy foreign minister says

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said the Islamic republic is in no hurry to engage in indirect negotiations with the United States and does not even trust the US in any potential talks.

Khatibzadeh, who is also head of the Center for Political and International Studies at Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned in an interview with China’s Phoenix Television, that regional tensions could escalate due to the policies of the United States and Israel, stressing that the future of the region will never be as envisioned by those countries.

The Iranian official has also warned about the danger of a comprehensive war due to the ongoing escalation, while emphasizing that Iran seeks to avoid it.

“The region’s countries view Israel as the main threat”, he said, describing Tel Aviv as a “terrorist gang”.

He pointed to Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities, noting that the country’s 60 per cent enriched uranium was under IAEA supervision.

“We have been doing this from the beginning under the continuous oversight and control of the IAEA. This is just another indication of Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities. Everyone knows that up to 60 per cent, is for non-military purposes,” he explained.

According to the official, Iran is committed to its responsibilities within the international community as it is a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons   (NPT) and the IAEA.

He condemned the US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, considering them a violation of international law.