ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Turkish counterpart that Tehran’s right to use nuclear energy for “peaceful” purposes is “non-negotiable,” reaffirming his country’s commitment to a “win-win” deal with the US, said the Iranian foreign ministry on Monday.
The ministry said that Araghchi briefed Turkey’s Hakan Fidan on the ongoing “indirect” negotiations with the United States and the recent meeting held between Iran and the three European countries.
Araghchi reaffirmed “Iran’s right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy is inalienable and non-negotiable. He emphasized that should the other parties demonstrate genuine political will and respect for Iran’s legitimate rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran remains ready to engage in a constructive, win-win interaction aimed at the full and effective lifting of sanctions,” according to a statement from his ministry.
For his party, Fidan reiterated Ankara’s readiness to help advance the process, added the ministry.
Indirect talks between Iran and the US over Tehran’s nuclear program began on April 12 in Oman.
The revived talks represent the most substantive engagement between the two countries since the unraveling of the 2015 nuclear deal under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
Diplomats from Iran and Europe's great powers - Britain, France and Germany - reportedly met in Istanbul on Friday. These three European countries, known as the E3, are not involved in US-Iran nuclear talks - the fourth round of which ended last week.