No sanctions relief in Washington's nuke proposal

Iran’s parliament speaker said on Sunday that the latest US proposal for a nuclear deal does not include the lifting of sanctions, state media reported as negotiations appeared to have hit a roadblock.

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The two foes have held five rounds of Omani-mediated talks since April, seeking to replace a landmark agreement between Tehran and world powers that set restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief, before US President Donald Trump abandoned the accord in 2018 during his first term.

In a video aired on Iranian state TV, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that “the US plan does not even mention the lifting of sanctions”.

He called it a sign of dishonesty, accusing the Americans of seeking to impose a “unilateral” agreement that Tehran would not accept. “The delusional US president should know better and change his approach if he is really looking for a deal,” he said.

On May 31, after the fifth round of talks, Iran said it had received “elements” of a US proposal, with officials later taking issue with “ambiguities” in the draft text.