Iran floats enrichment pause in exchange for sanctions relief - WSJ

Indirect talks between Iran and the United States have entered detailed technical discussions on nuclear issues and sanctions relief, and the presence of International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi is helpful in the process, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday.

“We have entered technical details in the nuclear and sanctions fields. One of the reasons for Mr. Grossi’s presence is that it is helpful in this process,” Baghaei said.

He added that the talks were expected to continue for another one to two hours.

Asked whether the negotiations were linked to developments involving Ukraine and Russia, Baghaei said, “No, absolutely not.”

Iran’s military strength brought the United States to the negotiating table and recent naval drills by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps strengthened the hand of Iranian negotiators, a member of parliament’s national security committee said on Tuesday.

Lawmaker Fada Hossein Maleki said missile issues remain a red line for Iran and that Israel should have no role in the Geneva talks, adding that Washington had accepted this position.

He said economic investment could be one of the possible topics in the negotiations and described threats by US President Donald Trump as a media game.

Exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi called on Iranians to attend ceremonies marking the 40th day since the deaths of protesters killed in the government crackdown.

In a statement, Pahlavi said the Islamic Republic and its leader had “shed the blood of tens of thousands of Iran’s brave sons and daughters,” particularly on January 8 and 9, leaving many families in mourning.

“Now, at the same time as the 40th day of the eternalization of Iran’s bravest children, I ask all of you noble and aware compatriots to take part in the memorial ceremonies and commemorations of those immortal names,” he said.

He urged supporters to honor the dead and to visit and support grieving families, adding: “All of us, together, with hearts heavy and chests full of certainty in victory, will move forward and soon cleanse Iran of Khamenei and his occupying and hellish regime.”

In recent days, there have been reports of a cemetery closure in Arak and a heavy security presence at Tehran’s main cemetery ahead of the planned 40th-day commemorations.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday urged police to manage public unrest with the least possible cost, over a month after a sweeping crackdown on protests in which more than 36,500 people were killed.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony for police cadets, Pezeshkian said authorities must maintain order while minimizing harm to security forces and civilians, as Iran continues to grapple with the aftermath of nationwide unrest.

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Speaking at a graduation ceremony for police cadets, Pezeshkian said authorities must maintain order while minimizing harm to security forces and civilians, as Iran continues to grapple with the aftermath of nationwide unrest.

“We must be able, as far as possible, to manage the country and society with the least damage and establish peace and security within it,” Pezeshkian said.

The protests were suppressed in a crackdown that left 36,500 people dead over two days in January, one of the deadliest episodes of unrest in modern history.

Pezeshkian said preventing unrest from escalating into crisis should be a priority.

“If there is dissatisfaction or a problem in society, we must not allow it to turn into a crisis. It must be prevented and treated,” he said. “In the third step, when an incident occurs, it must be managed with the minimum cost to the parties involved.”

At the same time, he stressed that those deemed responsible for disturbances should be detained firmly.

“You must manage the scene in such a way that the person who has created disorder is arrested with strength, authority and safety and handed over to the judiciary to be dealt with according to the law,” he said.

The president called for equipping police and security forces with new technologies to manage incidents without injury to officers, adding that the government would support law enforcement.

“We must not allow the health of our police forces to be put at risk,” he said. “All our efforts must be that none of you, as far as possible, are harmed in any scene.”

Iranian authorities have described the unrest as part of foreign-backed efforts to destabilize the country, while protesters have demanded political change and economic relief.

Pezeshkian said public security was essential and credited law enforcement as “the creators of security in Iran.”