Iran's ambassadors to France and the UK say they remain open to negotiations with the West, despite new US sanctions targeting Iran's oil exports and the reimposition of Trump-era maximum pressure policies.
“We do not reject negotiations, but we demand engagement on equal footing and with mutual respect,” Mohammad Amin Nejad, the Iranian ambassador to France said in an interview with French online media platform Thinkerview.
While acknowledging the impact of US-led sanctions on Iran's economy, he asserted that the country has become adept at self-reliance.
“After the US withdrawal from the JCPOA, we faced severe economic pressures, but the Iranian people are resilient, and the country continues to progress,” Nejad added.
US President Donald Trump reinstated his maximum pressure policy on Iran this month, issuing a directive followed by the first wave of sanctions on Thursday.
These sanctions came after decades of the Iranian state's mismanagement, corruption, and the prioritization of funneling money to terrorism, which had already severely damaged Iran's economy before the US sanctions compounded the crisis.
In London, Ali Matinfar, the Iranian Embassy's chargé d'affaires, echoed similar sentiments to his colleague in France during a ceremony marking the upcoming 46th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
The diplomat insisted that Tehran remains committed to the nuclear deal, despite the US withdrawal in 2018 and what he described as Europe's failure to uphold its obligations.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has continued to adhere to its commitments and has only taken compensatory measures within the framework of the agreement,” Matinfar said on Saturday.
Referring to recent talks with the UK, France, and Germany in Geneva, Matinfar said there is hope for the potential of renewed diplomatic progress.
“Following serious and constructive negotiations, it is hoped that a clearer outlook for future diplomatic engagements will emerge. However, the realization of this depends entirely on the goodwill and confidence-building measures of the Western parties, particularly the United States,” he said.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, the country's ultimate authority, said on Friday that negotiating with the US would be neither wise, intelligent, nor honorable.
This follows an ongoing internal divide within the country in recent weeks, with varying factions offering conflicting views on the potential for talks with Washington,
During Trump’s first term, Iran’s oil exports were slashed to almost zero after he re-imposed sanctions that had been lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.
After the US withdrew from the agreement, there were few attempts at negotiations between Washington and Tehran until the Biden administration took office in 2021, signaling a renewed effort to revive the nuclear deal, but ultimately, no new agreement was reached.