By Emmanuel Nduka
New Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, has laid bare, his intentions to resume nuclear talks with western nations and denied that his country had supplied ballistic missiles to Russia since he assumed office in July.
He signalled this in his first press conference with local and foreign media, defending strong ties with the Kremlin, and adding that at a time when the Islamic republic was struggling under western-imposed sanctions, Russia provided crucial support.
“Some [military] exchanges might have happened in the past, and there was no obstacle in doing so. What can be said with certainty is that it [sending ballistic missiles to Russia] has not happened since we assumed office,” Pezeshkian told reporters in Tehran on Monday, but gave no further details.
The quartet of US, UK, Germany and France have accused Iran of supplying ballistic missiles to Russia for its war against Ukraine, prompting the announcement of a new round of sanctions against Tehran.
Last week, US secretary of state Antony Blinken said Russia was expected to deploy the new missiles, which have a maximum range of 75 miles (120km), within weeks. According to Blinken, this would provide Moscow with “additional capability and additional flexibility”, allowing it to conserve its other long-range missiles for deeper targets within Ukraine.
Heritage Times HT reports that Pezeshkian who was elected in a tight race against his hardline rival in July, said his government would seek peace rather than war in the world and was ready to consider a resumption of talks over its nuclear programmes, akin to the accord Iran signed with world powers in 2015.
In 2018, then US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and imposed harsh sanctions on Iran. In response, Tehran has been enriching uranium up to 60 per cent purity — close to weapons grade — for more than three years.
“We are seeking a return to the framework of the [2015] nuclear deal. If they stop, we shall stop, too. If they are committed to the accord, we will be, too,” Pezeshkian said. “We are not seeking nuclear [arms]. But we will not bow down to pressure.”
The 69-year-old added that “we don’t want to be under sanctions and don’t want to fight with anybody”, while urging the US “to respect our people’s rights and not to plot”. He said the Islamic republic would be “committed to its agreements with the US and Europe”.
Western diplomats insist they are willing to give negotiations a chance, but are convinced that Iran is co-operating militarily with Russia in its war against Ukraine and say this significantly reduces the likelihood of reaching a new nuclear agreement.
Worsening tensions between Iran and Israel have made signing a fresh nuclear agreement even more complicated than it was in 2015. The risks of an all-out regional war escalated when Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran hours after attending Pezeshkian’s inauguration in July.
Iran blamed Israel for the killing and pledged retaliation at the time and place of its appeal.
