Iran seeks ‘effective and verifiable’ lifting of sanctions in nuclear negotiations with US: Report

By Syed Zafar Mehdi
TEHRAN, Iran (AA) – As Iran and the US held indirect negotiations in the Omani capital Muscat to defuse their tensions after months of suspension, Tehran is seeking guarantees on the “effective and verifiable” lifting of economic sanctions on the country, Iranian media said.

In a report on Friday, the state-run news agency IRNA said Iran’s “most important demand” in the Oman-mediated negotiations is the “effective and verifiable lifting of economic and financial sanctions.”

The broadcaster said Iranian officials have repeatedly emphasized that any agreement lacking tangible economic effects “would have no practical value.”

For this reason, it noted, “the timing and effectiveness” of the negotiations are of key importance to the Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

In the nuclear domain, Iran stresses its “legal right” to enrich uranium on its own soil and considers this a “red line” in the negotiations mediated by Oman, IRNA said.

“From Tehran’s viewpoint, any potential technical steps can only be considered within the framework of recognition of this right, and any precondition outside this framework is seen as a sign of the other side’s lack of goodwill,” it added.

According to the outlet, another priority for Iran is keeping the negotiation agenda “limited strictly to the nuclear issue,” with Tehran seeking to keep its ballistic missile program and regional activities off the table.
At the same time, IRNA, citing Iranian officials, emphasized that entering a new round of talks with the US “does not mean that deep distrust has been resolved.”

“From Tehran’s perspective, a series of recent US actions have heavily affected the negotiating atmosphere, including Washington’s role in the ‘12-day war,’ the targeting of Iranian-monitored nuclear facilities, encouraging Europe to activate the snapback mechanism at the UN Security Council, and escalating military threats,” it added.

Iran and the US resumed their indirect nuclear diplomacy on Friday after weeks of heightened tensions, fuelled by US President Donald Trump’s threat of military action against the country.