President Masoud Pezeshkian sent a letter via Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to President Donald Trump, with the permission of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, offering to revive nuclear talks, a former Iranian lawmaker said after Tehran denied seeking Riyadh’s mediation.
Mostafa Kavakebian, a former member of the Iranian parliament, told the Tehran-based Asr Iran news website on Sunday that bin Salman carried Pezeshkian’s message during his recent trip to Washington and meeting with Trump on November 18.
He said Pezeshkian wrote in the letter that Iran was ready to negotiate with the United States without preconditions or diktats.
"The content of the message was that we are willing to sit down and talk together—not a conversation that comes from a position of surrender, nor one where you dictate what should or should not be. Instead, we will sit down, open the door to dialogue, discuss the issues together, and this was conveyed," Kavakebian said.
"This was conveyed during this recent trip by bin Salman. It was also done with the Leader’s permission," he added.
Kavakebian said he believed the message aligned with Trump’s comments earlier this week, when the US president said Tehran was eager to reach an agreement.
“I think sending this message had an effect, and Trump immediately said that we will at last plan for negotiations,” Kavakebian said, referring to Trump’s remarks at a joint appearance with bin Salman in the White House on Tuesday.
Trump said the United States was talking to Tehran, which he said "very badly” wanted a deal with Washington.
"Iran does want to make a deal. I think they very badly want to make a deal. I am totally open to it, and we're talking to them, and we start a process," Trump had said.
Kavakebian's remarks come hours after after Iran's ministry spokesman denied that Pezeshkian’s letter to bin Salman was aimed at securing Saudi mediation with Washington, calling it a standard bilateral note tied to Hajj coordination.
“The issue of a mediator is not on the table,” Esmail Baghaei said.
Reuters reported on Thursday, citing two sources familiar with the exchange, that Pezeshkian had urged the crown prince to help persuade US President Donald Trump to revive nuclear talks.
Earlier on Monday, Saudi state news agency SPA reported that bin Salman received a letter from Pezeshkian, a day before the crown prince traveled to the United States for talks with Trump.
SPA did not provide any further details about the letter.
US talks with Tehran over its disputed nuclear program began earlier this year with a 60-day ultimatum. On the 61st day, June 13, Israel launched a surprise military campaign which was capped with US strikes on June 22 targeting key nuclear sites in Esfahan, Natanz and Fordow.
Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has called the attacks illegal.
The United States has demanded Iran renounce domestic uranium enrichment while Tehran maintains its nuclear program is an international right.
