Iran responds to threats with threats, intelligence minister says

Iran is receiving contradictory and conflicting messages from the United States, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters after a military ceremony in Moscow, Araghchi said it is unclear what the US intends with its signals. “What they mean and what goals they pursue is their own issue,” he said.

“What matters for us is what is said at the negotiating table,” Araghchi said, adding that Iran has clearly stated its position and expects the other side to show the same seriousness and consistency.

He also noted that Russia, China, and other countries have expressed readiness to help facilitate progress in the negotiations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday about ongoing talks with Washington, state media reported, and that he delivered a written message from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

"I had a very good meeting with Mr. Putin today...I came to Moscow today to deliver the message of the Supreme Leader to the respected president of Russia," Araghchi was quoting as saying by Iran's official IRNA news agency during remarks at an Army Day ceremony at Iran’s embassy in Moscow.

"The relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia have never been more strong, good and based on mutual respect and interests as they are today,” he added.

“The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are in a position of strength and authority such that no foreign enemy can even consider attacking or threatening the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Araghchi said. “Our policy is one of peaceful coexistence in the region and with neighboring countries.”

Iran proposed a three-stage plan to the US delegation during talks in Oman on Saturday envisioning a cap on their uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of US sanctions, three diplomatic sources in Tehran told Iran International.

The plan was presented by Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in writing to US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff during the three-hour talks.

Tehran proposed that in the first stage, it would temporarily reduce its uranium enrichment level to 3.67% in exchange for access to financial assets frozen by the United States and permission to export its oil, the diplomatic sources told Iran International.

In the second phase, the sources added, Iran would permanently end high-level enrichment and restore the United Nations nuclear watchdog's inspections if the United States lifts further sanctions on Iran and persuades Britain, Germany and France to refrain from triggering the so-called snapback of UN sanctions on Tehran.

In this phase, Iran would also commit to implementing the Additional Protocol, a supplementary agreement that allows the UN nuclear watchdog to carry out surprise inspections at sites not declared to the agency.

The third and final stage calls for the US congress to approve the nuclear agreement and for Washington to lift both primary and secondary sanctions, while Iran would transfer its highly enriched uranium stockpiles to a third country.

US envoy Witkoff welcomed the proposals presented by the Iranian side, the sources told Iran International, surprising the Iranian delegation in Muscat.

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Asked by a reporter in the White House on Thursday whether he had waved off an Israeli attack on Iran, US President Donald Trump said: "I wouldn't say waved off. I'm not in a rush to do it, because I think that Iran has a chance to have a great country and to live happily without death, and I'd like to see that. That's my first option."

"If there's a second option, I think it would be very bad for Iran. And I think Iran is wanting to talk. I hope they're wanting to talk. It's going to be very good for them if they do," he added.

"I don't want to do anything that's going to hurt anybody. I really don't, but Iran can't have a nuclear weapon ... It's really simple. We're not looking to take their industry. We're not looking to take their land. All we're saying is, you can't have a nuclear weapon."

Trump went on to criticize an international nuclear deal inked by Barak Obama with Iran from which he withdrew in 2018: "It was a terrible deal. It would have expired, and that gave them a clear path to a nuclear weapon."

"It was way too short. You know, when countries are involved, you don't make short-term deals. These are countries with long lives, and I terminated that."

Oman’s foreign ministry has confirmed that the second round of talks between Iran and the United States will take place this Saturday in Rome, adding that the Italian capital was chosen for logistical reasons.

"The aim of the talks will be to make further progress towards reaching a just, binding and sustainable agreement," a ministry spokesman said in a statement on X.

"Oman is pleased to be facilitating and mediating this meeting in Rome, which has been chosen as the venue for logistical reasons, the statement added.

Oman also expressed gratitude to the Italian government for its assistance in preparing for the meeting.