Iran: Talks with the US may be moved elsewhere, but Oman will remain a mediator
Iran: Talks with the US may be moved elsewhere, but Oman will remain a mediator
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that the negotiations with the United States scheduled for April 19 might be moved to another location instead of Oman, but Muscat will continue its role as mediator and the talks will proceed indirectly.
Baghaei answered journalists’ questions on his country’s foreign policy agenda and regional developments during a press conference held in Tehran.
Referring to the indirect talks held between Iran and the US on April 12 in Oman, Baghaei said the negotiations focused on nuclear issues and the lifting of sanctions.
He noted that the April 19 talks with the US may be relocated to Europe instead of Oman, but emphasized that Muscat would retain its role as mediator, and that the negotiations would continue in an indirect format.
Stating that no decision had yet been made regarding the location of the next round of talks, Baghaei said, “After receiving Oman’s official views, we will make our decision on the venue for the next round of negotiations with the US. The location of the talks is not important; what matters is the framework and the nature of the negotiations. We do not consider direct negotiations to be effective or beneficial,” he said.
IAEA Director to visit Tehran
The Iranian spokesperson shared that the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, would visit Tehran this week to meet with officials.
In response to a question about whether Iran would reduce its uranium enrichment level to 3.67%, as stated in the 2015 nuclear deal in the event of a potential agreement, Baghaei noted that this is a technical issue that would be addressed in later stages.
Ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people by Israel
Baghaei also addressed the genocide being carried out by Israel against the Palestinians, stating, “We continue to witness genocides in Gaza and the West Bank, and the so-called ceasefire—agreed upon and with guarantors assigned—is being effectively ignored by Israel. Attacks are being carried out on the defenseless Palestinian people, hospitals, doctors, and limited infrastructure. Journalists are among the Zionist regime’s constant targets, and these crimes continue amid the silence of the Security Council and relevant institutions. Ceasefire violations persist in Lebanon. Attacks on Syria and Yemen continue, and we condemn all of these as violations of international law.”
Araghchi to visit Russia
Baghaei also shared that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would visit Russia within a few days, saying, “In line with prior planning, our Foreign Minister will visit Russia by the end of this week. Various topics will be discussed during the visit, including developments related to the negotiations in Muscat.”
Stating that the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Agreement process between Iran and Russia is one of the Foreign Ministry's priorities, Baghaei announced that the agreement would soon be submitted to the Parliament for approval.
We do not block US citizens’ investments
In response to a question regarding the possibility of American investors operating in Iran, Baghaei said, “Iran has never prevented economic cooperation or investment from other parties. The problem lies with the US itself, which, due to its complex and multilayered legal system, deprives its own citizens of any economic engagement with Iran. This is an issue the US side needs to address.”