Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister: Talks with Europe will continue

Asked whether Iran and Europe will continue negotiations, Khatibzadeh said: “We have decided to continue them, and we will. However, we must be careful and vigilant to ensure that no one misuses this issue or exploits it as a tool in their foreign policy toolkit.”
Khatibzadeh added that Iran recently held friendly and close negotiations with the European troika in Turkey.
“We had direct talks on important issues and our shared concerns,” he said.
He thanked the Government of Turkey, President Erdogan, the Turkish Foreign Minister, and all those who helped make the meeting possible.
“The meeting shows that we attach high importance to our mutual relations. It also shows how we see Turkey as a proper venue for such discussions.”
Khatibzadeh emphasized that such talks will continue: “The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known as Iran’s nuclear deal, has been under strain since the U.S. withdrawal. As you know, in exchange for the promised but unrealized European compensation for Iran’s continued participation in the JCPOA, we showed strategic patience for a year. Unfortunately, the Europeans failed to take any meaningful action. They simply lacked the will to compensate for the U.S.’s unilateral and illegal withdrawal. As a result, Iran decided to reduce its JCPOA commitments to restore balance.”
“These negotiations will continue, but we must be careful to ensure that no one misuses them as a foreign policy tool. We hope Europeans understand that if the goal is to reach a meaningful and mutual agreement, anything is possible.”
Regarding Iran–Turkey relations, Khatibzadeh said that Iran greatly trusts Turkey and considers it a friendly country: “We believe we can rely on Turkey to host such important meetings in the future.”
Addressing attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran, Khatibzadeh said that Israel launched a series of attacks: “My country was targeted not only by Israel, but also in coordination with the United States. In fact, when Israel began attacking Iran, we were in the middle of negotiations, and our commanders who were targeted were off duty, at home with their families, when they were assassinated.”
“They even targeted the neighborhoods and homes of these commanders. Their real objective was not only Iran’s nuclear facilities, but also the assassination of our senior commanders.”
He stressed that: “Attacks on nuclear facilities are a blatant violation of international law — perhaps the worst kind — because all our facilities were under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency and guaranteed by the United Nations.”
Khatibzadeh concluded by saying that these clear violations by the U.S. and Israel must be addressed by international authorities: “Iran will definitely pursue this matter. What is important is that Iran is ready to defend its peaceful nuclear activities. We have allocated a significant part of our resources to our peaceful nuclear program, and no one can deprive Iran of its rights.”