In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei listens to a speaker during a meeting with students, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei listens to a speaker during a meeting with students, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Office of the …
Iran is prepared to begin indirect talks with U.S. leaders to discuss intentions and conditions surrounding nuclear negotiations, according to the leader of Iran’s state-run Strategic Council on Foreign Relations.
The official, former Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, on Thursday wrote that the Islamic Republic is open to indirect talks with the U.S. while adding that American rhetoric has been damaging.
Mr. Kharrazi accused U.S. diplomats of engaging in a “war of negotiations” by offering contradictory statements. The former minister said the Trump administration acts like it wants to reopen negotiations publicly while intensifying economic and military pressure to force Iran to the bargaining table.
“If Trump knew Iran and the Iranian spirit, had learned from the past, and sincerely or even entrepreneurially wanted to solve the historical problems between Iran and America for the economic benefits of his country, he would act differently,” Mr. Kharrazi said in his statement.
He also pointed to President Trump’s recent letter to Iran’s leader, Ali Khamenei, noting that sinister intentions are probably behind it.
“The vague references of certain American officials to his letter and its widespread coverage in Western and regional media are intended to create a kind ‘delusional optimism’, state of indecision and also atmosphere of bipolarity in the country (Iran) in a way that some inside the country think that an opening has been created to resolve the historical problems between Iran and the U.S. and Trump is sincerely seeking to amend relations with Iran, but of course it has opponents within the American ruling structure,” Mr. Kharrazi continued.
Mr. Trump’s letter, delivered last week, offered to reopen negotiations with Iran and gave Mr. Khamenei a two-month ultimatum to reach a deal. Still, Mr. Kharrazi reupped Iran’s interest in dialogue and urged U.S. officials against repeating “their bullying positions.”
“However, the Islamic Republic of Iran has not closed all paths, but is ready for indirect negotiations to assess the other side, announce its conditions and make appropriate decisions,” Mr. Kharrazi said.
His comments come as the Trump administration looks to put what it calls maximum pressure on Iran in his second term. In February, the White House slammed a new round of sanctions on the Islamic Republic, targeting sectors of Iran’s economy not previously affected.
Additionally, reports from this week suggest the U.S. is increasing its military presence in the Indian Ocean. Open-source intelligence reports from Wednesday showed that a new round of B-2 stealth bombers and C-17 transport aircraft were en route or already stationed at the joint U.S.-British military base on Diego Garcia.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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