Iran says its stance on nuclear talks with US remains constant

DUBAI: Iran remains committed to diplomacy with the United States, the government said on Monday, after a fourth round of nuclear talks with Washington due in Rome on May 3 was postponed for “logistical reasons”.

“We have announced our commitment to continuing the path of dialogue and diplomacy, and we have shown our full readiness by participating in several rounds of negotiations,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said.

The spokesperson added that Tehran was flexible regarding the timing of talks and was waiting for details from mediator Oman regarding the next round of negotiations with the US. “What matters for us is the behaviour and stances of the US negotiating team,” Baghaei said, adding that contradictory statements from US officials were “unhelpful” and would not impact Tehran’s determination to defend its fundamental positions, including its right to enrich uranium domestically.

US President Donald Trump, who withdrew from a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, has threatened to bomb Iran if no agreement is reached with his administration to resolve the long-standing dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme which Western countries say is geared towards weaponisation.