Iran has expressed readiness to resume nuclear talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York if "other parties are willing," Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi announced in a video shared on his Telegram channel.
The United States, under former President Donald Trump, withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers in 2018, under which Iran had limited its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
Efforts to revive the deal through indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington have stalled. While Iran remains formally part of the agreement, it has reduced its compliance due to US sanctions reimposed after the US withdrawal.
Araqchi stated that he would remain in New York longer than the Iranian president for meetings with various foreign ministers, aiming to restart nuclear negotiations. He also mentioned that messages had been exchanged through Switzerland, indicating a "general readiness," but warned that current global conditions make it harder to resume talks.
He clarified that he would not meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, citing the lack of favorable conditions for direct dialogue and noting that previous meetings had occurred but were no longer feasible.
Since the reintroduction of US sanctions under the Trump administration, Iran has refused direct talks with the US, opting instead to communicate through European and Arab intermediaries.
Iran seeks relief from US sanctions, which have heavily impacted its economy, but relations with the West have deteriorated further since the Iranian-backed Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7 and Tehran's increased support for Russia's war in Ukraine.
The Biden administration has signaled that the US is not ready to restart nuclear negotiations with Iran.
