TEHRAN, Iran: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that Tehran would “not yield to excessive demands” on its nuclear programme, as the country resumed negotiations with the United States.
Speaking at Azadi Square in Tehran to mark the 47th anniversary of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, Pezeshkian emphasised Iran’s right to defend its sovereignty while maintaining dialogue for regional peace.
“Our country, Iran, will not yield to their excessive demands,” he said.
“Our Iran will not yield in the face of aggression, but we are continuing dialogue with all our strength with neighbouring countries in order to establish peace and tranquillity in the region.”
President Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran’s nuclear programme is peaceful and intended solely for civilian purposes.
He said Tehran was prepared for “any verification” of its nuclear activities and insisted the country was not seeking an atomic weapon.
Iran and the United States resumed talks last week for the first time since a conflict with Israel in June last year, during which the United States carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
The US seeks to expand the negotiations to include Iran’s ballistic missile programme, while Tehran has insisted the discussions remain focused exclusively on its nuclear programme.
According to Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency, a “knowledgeable source” said the United States made “excessive demands” in the talks.
The source added that Iran entered the negotiations “with a transparent and clear approach,” insisting that the framework be “strictly limited to nuclear issues.”
Regional diplomacy
On Tuesday, the United Arab Emirates’ Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Lana Nusseibeh, met Iranian officials in Tehran to discuss regional developments affecting peace and security.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two sides reviewed bilateral ties and “practical ways to advance shared interests for the benefit of both nations and their peoples.”
The ministry also said discussions covered “a number of foreign policy files, including the latest developments in the region affecting peace and security, and ongoing efforts to address them.”
US-Iran tensions
Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated in recent weeks. In response to nationwide protests in Iran last month and threats from Washington, the US deployed a naval “armada” to the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump, who ordered strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last June, described the talks held in Oman last week as “very good” and said negotiations would continue this week.
At Azadi Square on Wednesday, veiled women waved Iranian flags and carried portraits of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Pezeshkian vowed that Iran would “disappoint our enemies”.
