Rouhani rules out likelihood of ‘direct’ talks with US
Tehran: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of direct talks with the US over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
“We have never had any decision, at anytime, for direct talks with the United States,” Rouhani said in an open session of the Iranian parliament on Tuesday.
Iran has always given “negative” response to the talk offers with the US, Xinhua news agency quoted Rouhani as saying.
However, “if the US lifts its sanctions (against Iran), it would be possible for the US to attend the P5+1 talks”, he said.
Last week, Rouhani said that the US should lift sanctions against Iran as a precondition for negotiations.
Iranian officials have stressed that for any talks with the US, Washington should return to Tehran’s nuclear deal, from which it withdrew in 2018, and implement its obligation under the accord.
