Iran won’t accept nuclear talks that cause ‘new problems’: Pezeshkian

TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday rejected any nuclear negotiations that would cause “new problems”, as United Nations sanctions were reimposed on the country.

“We have always declared our readiness for a logical, fair and just dialogue based on clear criteria, but we will never accept a negotiation that causes us new problems and issues,” Pezeshkian said, according to ISNA news agency.

Earlier on Sunday, Iran as “unjustifiable” the reinstatement of UN sanctions over its nuclear programme and called on countries not to enforce them.

“The reactivation of annulled resolutions is not only legally baseless and unjustifiable… all countries must refrain from recognising this illegal situation,” the Iranian foreign ministry said in a statement.

However, Israel welcomed the move, saying they were a direct response to what it called violations committed by the Islamic republic in its nuclear programme.

“This is a major development in response to Iran’s ongoing violations, especially on its military nuclear programme,” the foreign ministry said on X. “The goal is clear: prevent a nuclear-armed Iran. The world must use every tool to achieve this goal.”

Read more: China against European sanctions over Iran nuclear programme

IRANIAN RIAL DOWN

Meanwhile, the Iranian rial plummeted to a record low against he US dollar on Sunday after the reinstatement of UN sanctions, according to currency-tracking websites.

On the black market, the rial was trading at around 1.12 million rials against the dollar, the Bonbast and AlanChand websites reported, about a month after it had been slightly above one million rials to the greenback.

UN SECURITY COUNCIL

Earlier, the United Nations reinstated an arms embargo and other sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme following a process triggered by European powers that Tehran has warned will be met with a harsh response.

Britain, France and Germany initiated the return of sanctions on Iran at the UN Security Council over accusations it had violated a 2015 deal that aimed to stop it developing a nuclear bomb. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons.

Read more: European powers move to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran

The end of the decade-long nuclear deal originally agreed by Iran, Britain, Germany, France, the United States, Russia and China is likely to exacerbate tensions in the Middle East, just months after Israel and the US bombed Iranian nuclear sites.

UN sanctions imposed by the Security Council in resolutions adopted between 2006 and 2010 were reinstated at 8 pm EDT on Saturday (0000 GMT on Sunday).

Attempts to delay the return of all sanctions failed on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN this week after only Pakistan, China, Russia and Algeria backed the Iranian proposal to delay the process of six months.

“We urge Iran and all states to abide fully by these resolutions,” the foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany said in a joint statement after the deadline passed.

MUST NOT BE END OF DIPLOMACY

Meanwhile, the European Union’s top diplomat said on Sunday the return of widespread sanctions against Iran’s nuclear programme “must not be the end of diplomacy” with the Islamic republic.

While the bloc will follow the United Nations in reimposing sanctions, “a sustainable solution to the Iranian nuclear issue can only be achieved through negotiations”, Kaja Kallas said in a statement.

It’s a developing story. Details to follow.