ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran’s consul general to Erbil said Tuesday that Tehran remains open to negotiations with the United States if talks are conducted with “mutual respect,” as regional tensions persist.
Speaking in Erbil, Faramaz Asadi said Iran’s position on negotiations is grounded in international law and diplomacy. “We have a very, very logical, legal and international position with the world,” Asadi said.
“We have a program and proposal. The Islamic Republic has always said that with mutual respect, we can negotiate together. If there was respect and the will of the Islamic Republic was taken into account, the Islamic Republic went to negotiations and reached a conclusion,” Asadi added.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday said Tehran plans to continue indirect talks with the United States in Oman, describing the latest round of negotiations in Muscat as constructive amid what he called a critical phase in nuclear diplomacy.
The diplomatic engagement comes despite heightened regional tensions, including a maritime incident earlier this week in which Iran-linked armed vessels attempted to intercept a US-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as a separate incident in which a US warplane shot down an Iranian drone over the Arabian Sea.
Iran’s nuclear program remains a central point of contention with Washington, which has repeatedly called on Tehran to curb its uranium enrichment, while Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes.
Referring to previous talks, Asadi said that progress depends on the other side’s approach.
“If the enemy, when I say enemy I mean the other party in our talks, respects us and fulfills our will, we will not reach a conclusion,” he said, adding that “We too are seeking negotiations and are seeking relations.”
Regarding relations between Iran and the Kurdistan Region, Asadi said that they are “currently in their best state.”
“In all fields we are working in the cultural, social, political, security, economic and commercial fields, borders, travel and tourism and in all fields we are working and everyone is satisfied, and we are seeking to further advance the relations,” he said.
When asked whether trade exchange has increased compared to previous years, Asadi said he does not currently have the data.