According to local media, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered the beginning of nuclear negotiations with the United States after Donald Trump, his counterpart, threatened “bad things” if an agreement with the Islamic republic was not reached.
The US president has ordered the deployment of an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East and threatened military action in response to the Iranian government’s lethal response to anti-government demonstrations that peaked last month.
On Monday, Trump issued a warning that “bad things would happen” if an agreement is reached, despite his continued optimism that Washington will “work something out” with Iran.
While promising an unrestrained response to any aggression, Tehran has reiterated that it prefers diplomacy.
According to an unidentified government source cited by the Fars news agency on Monday, “President Pezeshkian has ordered the opening of talks with the United States” regarding Iran’s nuclear program. The regime newspaper Iran and the reformist daily Shargh both published the report.
Following interventions by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and Oman, a meeting to discuss the delicate issue is expected to take place in Turkey on Friday, an Arab official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is scheduled to meet with US ambassador Steve Witkoff in Istanbul to negotiate a potential nuclear deal, according to two unidentified sources reported by US news site Axios.
Trump had warned that “time is running out” for Iran to negotiate an agreement on its nuclear program, which Tehran has always denied the West believes is intended to produce an atomic weapon.
“We completely agree with President Trump’s statement that there should be no nuclear weapons,” Araghchi stated in a Sunday interview with CNN. We wholeheartedly concur. That might be a great bargain,” he continued, adding, “and we expect sanctions to be lifted in exchange.”
Esmaeil Baqaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, stated earlier on Monday that Tehran was developing a framework and approach for talks that would be prepared in the next few days, with communications between the two parties being sent through regional actors.
“Police the world.” Turkey has spearheaded a diplomatic effort to ease tensions; Araghchi spoke with regional peers in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan on his visit to Istanbul last week.
Jordan will “not be a battleground in any regional conflict or a launching pad for any military action against Iran,” Ayman Safadi, the country’s senior diplomat, promised Araghchi on Monday.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the top leader of Iran, has issued a warning that any US invasion would lead to a “regional war.”
“America should mind its own business, why does it want to police the world?” Ali Hamidi, a pensioner in Tehran, told AFP, adding that he was a veteran and “not afraid of war.”
“Iranian officials are also at fault for not providing for the people,” the 68-year-old continued. The economic problems are heartbreaking. Instead than just talking, the leaders had to take concrete action.
Economic hardship in late December set off the protests, which over several days in early January grew in scope and ferocity.
Khamenei has compared the rallies to a “coup” attempt, while authorities have described them as “riots” sparked by its worst enemies, Israel and the United States.
Ambassadors were called in.
Thousands of people have died during the protests, according to Tehran, and on Sunday the presidency released the names of 2,986 of the 3,117 persons who were reportedly murdered in the chaos.
Authorities insist majority were members of the security forces and innocent onlookers, blaming the violence to “terrorist acts”.
Other rights organizations caution that the number is probably far higher. The US-based NGO Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that it has confirmed 6,854 deaths, primarily protestors slain by security forces.
Selina, a young Iranian who did not provide her complete name, went to Iraqi Kurdistan in search of some respite from “living in fear.”
The 25-year-old told AFP, “We are not safe in Iran.”
“There are soldiers everywhere, so we don’t even dare to go outside after 6:00 pm.”
The European Union designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization as a result of the crackdown, and Iranian parliamentarians responded on Sunday by designating European armies as terrorist organizations as well.
Additionally, the EU imposed new sanctions on Iranian officials, including the interior minister. Britain followed suit on Monday, announcing penalties on ten individuals for the “brutality against protesters.”
Baqaei said Monday the foreign ministry has summoned all the EU member state ambassadors in Tehran over the designation, and that other replies were to come.
Additionally, four foreigners were detained in Tehran for “participation in riots,” according to Iranian state media, which did not identify their nationalities.
Rights organizations estimate that at least 40,000 people have been arrested as a result of the protests, and authorities have continued to announce arrests.
