Iran's FM spokesperson calls nuclear program a national asset

Iran's former government spokesman said that the Supreme Leader would undoubtedly authorize direct negotiations with the United States if he determined it to be the best way to secure Iran's rights.

Regarding the ongoing debate over the format of the upcoming talks, Mohammad-Bagher Nobakht said, "Undoubtedly, if the Supreme Leader determines that our rights can be better secured or realized through direct negotiations, he will certainly say so."

Speaking about the current indirect format, which has been sanctioned by Ali Khamenei, he added, "Today, we should not be too fixated on the method of negotiation (whether it is direct or indirect)."

"Freezing on the method of negotiation will not get us very far in achieving our goals."

A new analysis by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs says Iran's nuclear program remains an unaddressed existential threat, contending that delaying or deterring Tehran is no longer sufficient.

The think-tank argues that Israel must spearhead a coalition, employing either diplomatic or military means, or a combination of both, to dismantle Iran's nuclear capabilities.

“Yet one existential threat remains unaddressed: Iran’s nuclear program. It is no longer enough to delay or deter. Israel must lead a coalition – diplomatic or military – to either dismantle Iran’s nuclear capability by agreement, by force, or both.”

Gholamhossein Karbaschi, the former mayor of Tehran and a reformist politician, defended the composition of Iran's negotiating team for talks with the United States, led by Abbas Araghchi.

In an interview with the Khabar Online news website, Karbaschi addressed the objections of some officials and media outlets within Iran to negotiating with the US, saying, "The Islamic Republic's capacity is what it is; we can't import diplomats from abroad."

An Iranian lawmaker strongly opposed the upcoming talks between Iran and the United States, labeling the engagement as sitting with the killers of Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani.

Mohammadreza Ahmadi voiced his vehement opposition, saying, "Sitting with the killers of IRGC commander Soleimani and thousands of martyrs has no meaning... We are sitting at a negotiating table with the Americans?! Be careful, we hope you come to your senses and do not continue this negotiation."

Soleimani was assassinated by a US drone strike in Iraq in 2020, where Trump was the president.

Russia said on Wednesday that military action against Iran by its adversaries would be illegal and counterproductive to achieving peace.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters that bombing Iran would not lead to a peaceful resolution and expressed Moscow's hope that upcoming talks between the United States and Iran could help avert a crisis.

Zakharova added that the world was weary of what she described as endless threats against Iran, and that Russia supported a sensible approach to resolving the dispute over Tehran's nuclear program.

Separately, the Kremlin called for a focus on diplomatic engagement rather than actions that could escalate tensions surrounding Tehran's nuclear program.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Iranian authorities were taking preventative measures amid heightened rhetoric on the nuclear issue.