Iran to consider talks with US over ‘militarisation of nuclear programme’

DUBAI: Iran would consider negotiations with the US if the aim of the talks was to address concerns regarding any potential militarisation of its nuclear programme, Iran's UN mission said on Sunday in a post on X.

The comment came a day after the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran will not negotiate under US "bullying".

In the post on X the mission said: "If the objective of negotiations is to address concerns vis-à-vis any potential militarisation of Iran’s nuclear program, such discussions may be subject to consideration."

"However, should the aim be the dismantlement of Iran’s peaceful nuclear program ... such negotiations will never take place," the post added.

Khamenei was quoted by state media as saying on Saturday: "They are bringing up new demands that certainly will not be accepted by Iran, like our defence capabilities, missile range and international influence."

US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network, broadcast on Friday, that he wants to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran and had sent a letter to its leadership suggesting talks with the Islamic Republic, which the West fears is rapidly nearing the capability to make atomic weapons.

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons.

While expressing openness to a deal with Tehran, Trump has reinstated a "maximum pressure" campaign that was applied during his first term as president to isolate Iran from the global economy and drive its oil exports to zero.

During his 2017-2021 term, Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark deal between Iran and major powers that had placed strict limits on Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

After Trump pulled out in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions, Iran breached and far surpassed those limits.

UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi has said that time is running out for diplomacy to impose new restrictions on Iran's activities, as Tehran continues to accelerate its enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade.

Tehran says its nuclear work is solely for peaceful purposes.