Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday said his country is "ready to engage in earnest" to seal a deal, but described "a significant wall of mistrust" between Tehran and Washington.
Mr Araghchi, writing in an opinion piece published in The Washington Post, insisted that the talks would be indirect, despite US President Donald Trump claiming the day before that they would be direct. Last month, Mr Trump expressed his desire to draw up a new deal that would put limits on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief, after withdrawing the US from the original agreement – called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – during his first term.
"Pursuing indirect negotiations is not a tactic or reflection of ideology but a strategic choice rooted in experience," said Mr Araghchi. "We face a significant wall of mistrust and harbour serious doubts about the sincerity of intentions, made worse by US insistence on resuming the 'maximum pressure' policy prior to any diplomatic interaction."
The US has sought to limit the possibility of Iran developing a nuclear weapon and its support for proxy groups in the Middle East through the maximum-pressure campaign of punishing sanctions that were eased under the original deal.
Mr Araghchi said that Tehran's experience of witnessing the "unwillingness or inability" of the US to fulfil commitments under the first nuclear deal has persuaded many in Iran to insist on "guarantees for mutual fulfilment of commitments".
He also criticised the double standard when it comes to developing nuclear energy and reiterated the claim that Iran's programme is meant for peaceful purposes.
"President Trump might not like the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ... but it contains one vital commitment: that 'Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons'," he wrote. "Ten years after the JCPOA was concluded – and nearly seven years after the United States unilaterally walked away from it – there is no evidence that Iran has violated this commitment."
Mr Araghchi pointed to recent congressional testimony by intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, who said: "The intelligence community continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and supreme leader [Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei has not authorised the nuclear weapons programme he suspended in 2003."
He said that to proceed with talks, it was important to take a military response off the table. Mr Trump has said in recent weeks that "there will be bombing" and that "bad, bad things are going to happen to Iran" if it fails to reach a nuclear deal with the US.
"The proud Iranian nation, whose strength my government relies on for real deterrence, will never accept coercion and imposition," Mr Araghchi wrote. But he said: "Mark my words: Iran prefers diplomacy but it knows how to defend itself."
He said that "the ball is now in America's court". "If it seeks a genuine diplomatic resolution, we have already shown the way," he wrote. "If, instead, it seeks to impose its will through pressure, it must know this: the Iranian people respond decisively to the language of force and threat in a unified way."
The talks will take place in Oman on Saturday. The State Department confirmed that Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to the Middle East, will be taking part.
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
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- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
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- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
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The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Tathoor, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 1,000m
Winner: Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
Winner: Aiz Alawda, Fernando Jara, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
Winner: ES Nahawand, Fernando Jara, Mohammed Daggash
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Winked, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ain Mile Group 3 (PA) Dh350,000 1,600m
Winner: Somoud, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Al Jazi, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
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MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Race card
4pm Al Bastakiya Listed US$300,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
4.35pm Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m
5.10pm Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m
5.45pm Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m
6.20pm Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m
6.55pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m
7.30pm Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m
The National selections:
4pm Zabardast
4.35pm Ibn Malik
5.10pm Space Blues
5.45pm Kimbear
6.20pm Barney Roy
6.55pm Matterhorn
7.30pm Defoe
