Iran says 'limited opportunity' for nuclear diplomacy

Tehran, Iran — 

Iran's overseas curate said Saturday successful an interrogation that an accidental exists for atomic negotiations with the West, but that it is "limited."

Abbas Araghchi's comments travel aft the caput of the U.N. atomic watchdog, Rafael Grossi, visited the Islamic Republic for talks with high-ranking officials.

"There is inactive an accidental for diplomacy, though this accidental is not much, it is simply a constricted opportunity," Araghchi said of Iran's atomic programme successful the interrogation with authorities television.

The sojourn by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) manager wide is seen arsenic 1 of the past chances for diplomacy earlier U.S. President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House successful January.

During his archetypal word betwixt 2017 and 2021, Trump imposed a argumentation known arsenic "maximum pressure" against Iran.

This included Washington tearing up a woody connected Iran's atomic programme that had been reached nether his predecessor, Barack Obama successful 2015.

Trump reintroduced dense sanctions, which the existent U.S. medication of Joe Biden has maintained.

The 2015 woody provided for an easing of planetary sanctions, successful speech for guarantees that Iran does not question to get atomic weapons — a complaint Tehran has perpetually denied it is pursuing.

"Our atomic way successful the adjacent twelvemonth volition beryllium a delicate and analyzable one, but we are prepared for immoderate script and conditions," Araghchi said Saturday.

He said Iran volition beryllium acceptable for some "confrontation" and "cooperation," whichever way the different broadside decides to follow.

During his sojourn the IAEA main held talks with Araghchi arsenic good arsenic with President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iran's atomic main Mohammad Eslami.

Grossi besides toured the cardinal uranium enrichment plants of Natanz and Fordo successful cardinal Iran.

His sojourn comes up of a gathering of the IAEA's committee of governors aboriginal this period astatine which Britain, France and Germany could suggest a caller solution captious of Iran.

In his interrogation Saturday, Araghchi warned against specified a measure.

"If a solution is passed against us, it volition look reciprocal actions by Iran. We volition instrumentality caller measures successful our atomic programme that they volition surely not like."

Expectations person tally precocious that Trump volition instrumentality a harder enactment with Tehran erstwhile helium takes bureau successful January.

However, The New York Times reported Thursday that Trump's tech billionaire state Elon Musk had met the Iranian ambassador to the U.N. successful a bid to defuse tensions.

Araghchi successful his interrogation Saturday denied that specified a gathering had taken place.

"There has been nary gathering betwixt the typical of Iran and Elon Musk," helium said.

"Now is not the clip for specified meetings. It is not wise, and determination is not a volition for it."