Iran ready for talks with US if it apologises for leaving nuclear pact

Iran said it would be ready to talks with the US, if the Trump administration apologises for exiting the 2015 nuclear deal.

President Hassan Rouhani also asked on Wednesday for a compensation for Tehran if talks were to go ahead.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington has worsened since 2018, when US President Donald Trump withdrew from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions that have crippled the country’s economy.

“We have no problem with talks with the U.S., but only if Washington fulfils its obligations under the nuclear deal, apologies and compensates Tehran for its withdrawal from the 2015 deal,” Rouhani said in a televised speech.

“But we know these calls for talks with Tehran are just words and lies,” he added, according to Reuters.

In a tweet in early June, US President Donald Trump urged Iran to make a deal with America.

As a result of the withdrawal of the 2015 deal, Iran restarted its nuclear weapons program and scaled back on its commitments to world powers. Tehran claims the process is reversible as long as European countries shield Iran from US penalties.

“The Europeans have failed to fulfil their promises. They should carry out their obligations,” Rouhani said.

The United Nations Security Council is due to hold a first round of talks on Wednesday on a US proposal to indefinitely extend an arms embargo on Iran, which is currently set to end in October.

Council veto-powers Russia and China have already signalled their opposition to the move.

Rouhani made no reference to Iranian involvement in multiple conflicts throughout the region over the past decades.