Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has announced that Iran is willing to restart nuclear negotiations if other parties are ready to do so. Araghchi stated that talks on Iran’s nuclear programme could begin this week during his trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also expected to deliver a speech at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
The moderate Pezeshkian, who won the presidential election in July, has pledged to restart talks with Western powers to lift sanctions and ease economic pressure on Iran. The 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), aimed to curb Iranian nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. However, former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement in 2018, imposing new sanctions.
Pezeshkian’s cabinet choices, including Araghchi and Mohammad Javad Zarif, signal a desire to re-engage with the West. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has also indicated openness to engaging with the “enemy.” Despite this, tensions in the region, exacerbated by Iran’s alliances with groups opposed to Israel and the US, continue to hinder progress in negotiations.
Araghchi has rejected accusations of supporting Russia’s actions in Ukraine and emphasized that reducing hostility with the US is possible, even if now may not be the time to fully resolve conflicts. The willingness of Iran to restart nuclear negotiations offers a glimmer of hope for de-escalation in the region.-ads by google-
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