Tehran says nuclear talks with US not at 'dead end'

Indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States over its nuclear program are not at a dead end, a senior Iranian diplomat said, while warning that any resolution against Tehran at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would reduce cooperation.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs and a member of its negotiating team, told the state news agency IRNA on Tuesdaythat international talks always have "many ups and downs." He added that it was too soon to draw conclusions from negotiations that began only a few months ago.

"The pace of the negotiations, whether slow or fast, is not very important to us; what matters is achieving national interests, which is our right and what our people care about."

Takht-Ravanchi confirmed that Iran is preparing a response to a written US proposal, saying, "Our response will definitely keep the window of diplomacy open.”

Takht-Ravanchialso addressed the idea of a multinational consortium for nuclear fuel, a proposal reportedly floated by Oman and the US. He added that while the concept is old, "a definite point is that enrichment must be done in Iran."

"If there is a consortium where enrichment is not done in Iran, but in another country, or if the enrichment part is not in Iran but other parts are in Iran, this is unacceptable from our point of view," he said.

He added that all sanctions, direct or indirect, related to the nuclear issue must be lifted, regardless of any re-labeling of sanctions over time.

Takht-Ravanchi also voiced concern about a potential resolution against Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors, accusing European countries and the US of “political abuse” of the technical agency.