Iran FM rejects direct talks with the US

TEHRAN: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi yesterday rejected direct negotiations with the United States as "meaningless" after US President Donald Trump said he would prefer direct talks with the Islamic republic.

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Mr Trump had called last month on Tehran to hold negotiations on its nuclear programme with Washington, but stressed to Iranian leaders it was up to them to decide. On Thursday, the US president said he would prefer "direct talks" with Iran.

"I don't see it faster, and you understand, if the other side is a lot better than if you go through intermediaries," he argued.

But yesterday, Mr Araghchi said direct negotiations would be meaningless without a path that instantly reassures Iran's resort to force in violation of the UN Charter and that expresses contradictory positions from its various officials".

"We remain committed to diplomacy and are ready to try the path of indirect negotiations," he added, according to a foreign ministry statement.