Iran ready to negotiate with US but not under ‘maximum pressure’: Minister

Iran expressed its willingness to negotiate with the United States, but rejected doing so under US President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” strategy, Tehran’s chief diplomat indicated on Saturday.

“Lifting the sanctions necessitates negotiations, but not within the framework of a ‘maximum pressure’ policy, as this would not constitute a negotiation but rather a form of surrender,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated in a message on Telegram.

This statement followed comments from Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who advised the government against negotiating with Washington, labeling such an approach as “reckless.”

Khamenei, who holds the ultimate authority on all strategic decisions in Iran, cited Iran’s previous experiences of negotiating with the United States to support his stance.