Iran says US must take first step to restart nuclear talks

A senior Iranian official said that the US should make the first move to resume nuclear talks, reiterating its demand to be treated with respect.   

Kamal Kharrazi, foreign policy adviser to Supreme Leader

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told CNN that should such a talk take place, the agenda and process of discussions will be outlined clearly in advance.

“They have to make the first move to show that they are ready to engage with us on the conditions that we put… it has to be based on equal footing and mutual respect,” he said, stressing that Iran is interested in talking only about nuclear issue and nothing else with the US.

Kharrazi also reportedly said that Iran will continue to maintain its domestic uranium enrichment -- which the US wants it to let go -- to fuel its power plants and for medical purposes.

Nuclear talks so far

He is the second senior Iranian official to remark on resuming nuclear talks after US President Donald Trump said earlier this month that he is open to hearing out Iran as it reels under heavy US sanctions.  

The two countries carried out five rounds of indirect nuclear before Israel, with the backing of the US, attacked Iran and its nuclear sites in June this year. 

Iranian leaders have repeatedly stressed they would engage in talks if treated with fairness and equality and not a "dictation" by the US.  

"The US cannot expect to gain what it couldn't in war through negotiations...Iran will always be prepared to engage in diplomacy, but not negotiations meant for dictation," Abbas Araqchi, Iran's foreign minister said on November 16.

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