Iran Says No Date Set for U.S. Nuclear Talks
“We have been serious in diplomacy and the negotiation process; we entered with good faith,” Baqaei said. “But as everyone witnessed, before the sixth round, the Zionist regime, in coordination with the United States, committed military aggression against Iran.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iran said Monday there is currently "no specific date" scheduled for a potential meeting with the United States to resume stalled negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program, following a brief but intense war with Israel that disrupted the talks, AFP reported.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters that “no specific date, time or location has been determined” for discussions between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. The two officials had held five rounds of indirect talks since April, representing the highest level of engagement between Washington and Tehran since the U.S. withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018.
The negotiations, mediated by Oman, were abruptly halted after Israel launched a surprise offensive on Iran's nuclear sites on June 13, sparking a 12-day war that later drew in the United States.
“We have been serious in diplomacy and the negotiation process; we entered with good faith,” Baqaei said. “But as everyone witnessed, before the sixth round, the Zionist regime, in coordination with the United States, committed military aggression against Iran.”
Nuclear Concerns and Sanctions Pressure
Despite enriching uranium to 60 percent purity — near weapons-grade levels — Iran has repeatedly denied Western accusations that it is pursuing a nuclear weapon. The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency has also said it has no evidence that Iran is actively seeking to weaponize its stockpiles.
Meanwhile, Baqaei confirmed that Iran remains in contact with the three European signatories to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — Britain, France, and Germany. However, he could not specify when the next round of talks might take place.
The European trio has threatened to trigger the “snapback” mechanism within the JCPOA, which could lead to the re-imposition of United Nations sanctions on Iran for non-compliance.
“There is no legal, moral or political basis for such a move,” Baqaei insisted, warning that any re-imposition of sanctions would provoke an “appropriate and proportionate” Iranian response. He also reiterated previous Iranian threats to withdraw from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) if pressured further.
Despite the collapse of formal diplomacy, Baqaei stressed that “the Islamic Republic of Iran still considers itself a member of the JCPOA.”
The fate of the nuclear deal — and broader regional stability — now hangs in the balance, as Tehran weighs its next steps amid heightened tensions and continued uncertainty in the wake of last month’s conflict.
