US talks are not taboo, Iranian lawmaker says

Any breakthrough in nuclear negotiations depends on American conduct, and Iran will reject pressure tactics, said the Supreme Leader’s representative in the Revolutionary Guard Quds Force.

“If they act logically, the talks may lead to a good outcome,” Ali Mohammadi Sirat told ILNA on Monday.

He said Iran would respond forcefully to any attack on its national security and urged Washington to avoid “selfishness, bullying, and domineering behavior” if it seeks a negotiated solution.

Esmail Baghaei said that indirect negotiations are not unusual and have occurred before, adding that they are currently taking place in other contexts as well.

“Direct negotiations, in a situation where one side insists on a coercive approach, uses threats, and resorts to force, are neither beneficial nor acceptable to a side like the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said speaking to reporters on Monday. “Therefore, we will continue with the form and approach we have chosen.”

Baghaei also said that the next round of talks may take place in a location other than Oman, adding that the location is not as important as ensuring the framework of interaction between Iran and the US remains unchanged.

On Sunday, Axios reported that Rome will host second round of Iran-US negotiations next week.

Baghaei added that the Iran's main demand in the negotiations is the removal of sanctions, which the Islamic Republic is pursuing with determination.

Baghaei also confirmed that the Director General of the UN's nuclear watchdog Rafael Grossi will likely visit Tehran this week. Earlier the Wall Street Journal reported that Grossi will visit Tehran this week ahead of the next round of US-Iran talks on Saturday.

He also addressed Tehran's economic cooperation with Washington, saying: "The Islamic Republic has never placed any obstacles to economic cooperation with other parties, but the real problem lies with the US, which, through complex laws, has deprived its own citizens of any economic dealings with Iran."

Baghaei confirmed that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to Moscow later this week for a pre-planned visit.

"The trip was planned in advance, but there will be consultations regarding the talks with the US," Baghaei said.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said that US-Iran negotiations are indirect because direct talks would not be effective or beneficial for the Islamic Republic.

Esmail Baghaei said that indirect negotiations are not unusual and have occurred before, adding that they are currently taking place in other contexts as well.

“Direct negotiations, in a situation where one side insists on a coercive approach, uses threats, and resorts to force, are neither beneficial nor acceptable to a side like the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said speaking to reporters on Monday. “Therefore, we will continue with the form and approach we have chosen.”

Baghaei also said that the next round of talks may take place in a location other than Oman, adding that the location is not as important as ensuring the framework of interaction between Iran and the US remains unchanged.

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The sanctions, approved by EU foreign ministers on Monday, target key figures involved in the imprisonment of foreign nationals in Iran.

According to Reuters, among those sanctioned are the director of Tehran's Evin prison, several judges, and other judicial officials.

Additionally, the main prison in Shiraz has been added to the list of organizations facing sanctions.

Around twenty Westerners are currently held in Iran, AFP reported last month citing a French diplomatic source.

Among those detained are French nationals Cecile Kohler and her partner, Jacques Paris, who were arrested in May 2022 while sightseeing in Iran.

Other European detainees include Ahmadreza Jalali, an Iranian-Swedish dual national and scientist, who was detained during a visit to Iran in April 2016. Jalali, who was granted Swedish citizenship while in prison, was sentenced to death in 2017 on charges of espionage for Israel's Mossad.

British couple Craig and Lindsay Foreman were arrested in January 2025 in Kerman, Iran, on charges of espionage while on a motorcycle journey from Armenia to Pakistan. Iranian authorities allege they were collecting intelligence under the guise of tourism.

British-Iranian activist Mehran Raoof is also among those currently detained in Tehran's Evin prison. Arrested by Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) on 16 October 2020, he has been held in prolonged solitary confinement, according to rights group Amnesty International.

Last month, a source from the German Federal Foreign Office told Iran International that the German embassy in Tehran is investigating reports of the detention of a German national and has raised the matter with Iranian authorities, without providing further details.

A professor of international relations has suggested that the current "limbo" in Tehran-Washington relations will likely persist until mid-July, warning that Trump would react negatively if Iran were perceived to be stalling or being evasive in ongoing negotiations.

Shahram Kholdi, speaking to Iran International, said that “Trump does not like to be humiliated, and if he feels that the Islamic Republic is wasting time and being obstructive in the negotiations, he will react."

According to the analyst, the US president seeks an agreement with the Iranian government, but the extensive deployment of US forces and military equipment in the region indicates his distrust of the Islamic Republic.