Iranian lawmaker says no loss if talks with US fail

An Iranian lawmaker warned Friday against tying the country’s economic future to the outcome of nuclear talks with the United States, saying Tehran must prioritize solving internal issues.

Ali Akbar Alizadeh, a member of parliament from Damghan in northeastern Iran, said negotiations are only one aspect of the Foreign Ministry’s responsibilities and should not dominate the country’s overall strategy.

“If talks fail to yield results, we will not have lost anything,” Alizadeh said in an interview with Mehr News Agency. “The government must not let the economy depend on the outcome of indirect negotiations with the US.”

“Efforts to link the talks to people’s livelihoods are misguided,” Alizadeh said, adding that enemies aim to keep Iran stalled by hinging progress on the negotiations.