US denies holding 'active' nuclear talks with Iran

The US is not engaged in any nuclear talks with Iran, the White House national security spokesman told Iran International on Thursday, denying the Iranian top diplomat's claim about ongoing nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington via Oman.

Earlier in the day, Iran's acting foreign minister Ali Bagheri Kani said nuclear talks with the US are ongoing through indirect negotiations mediated by Oman.

However, White House national security communications advisor John Kirby categorically denied Bagheri's remarks and said, "No active negotiations are going on right now with respect to Iran's nuclear ambitions."

"I won't speak or can't speak to channels of communication with Iran one way or the other, but there are no active negotiations going on to restore the nuclear deal," Kirby told Iran International's Samira Gharaei on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)'s summit in Washington DC.

Kirby said "the reason for that is because Iran was killing its own people in protests activity. Iran was continuing to spin centrifuges. Iran was continuing to support terrorist groups. And in the early stages of the negotiations, Iran was making unnecessary demands that made it impossible for us to do that. They weren't negotiating in good faith."

The White House national security spokesman reiterated the US president's commitment to making sure Tehran would never develop nuclear weapons, and said, "We'd love to be able to do that through diplomacy. But right now, there's not a path, a diplomatic path ahead of us."

Earlier in the day, US Senator James Lankford (R-OK) told Iran International's Arash Alaei that Washington had not engaged in direct negotiations with Tehran for a long time for a “good reason," pointing out to the oppressive nature of the Iranian government.

He referred to reports by the UN’s nuclear watchdog on Iran’s nuclear activities, saying, “The administration told us they are not engaged in (talks with) them. But obviously the IAEA has told us there is a lot of nuclear development that’s happening there and a lot of things they’re not able to see but what they are able to see and detect has pretty dramatic increases.”

The US senator's comments came after Bagheri Kani said on state TV that details of ongoing negotiations might be kept secret due to their sensitive nature.

“Given the confidential nature of these negotiations, the specific components may not be fully disclosed. However, I can emphasize that the trajectory of lifting sanctions is decidedly progressive,” Bagheri Kani said during a special news program.

The current administration is trying to "achieve significant progress before the incoming government takes office,” Bagheri Kani added, referring to the new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.

Kirby had stated on Monday that the US is not willing to resume nuclear talks with the new Iranian president, citing Tehran's policy of supporting terrorism as a significant obstacle.

Asked whether the election will change the US negotiating position, Kirby simply answered, "no".

According to Bagheri Kani, negotiations with the West have been "intensive" over the past three years, with a notable "pause" in February 2022 which he attributed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Since then, Iran has exceeded uranium enrichment limits and is now "weeks not months" away from a nuclear weapon, according to the UN's nuclear chief.

During his election campaign, Iran's next president spoke of promoting constructive talks with Western powers to revive the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) and to lift the sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy since the withdrawal of the US from the agreement in 2018.

However, with Iran's Supreme Leader holding the keys to the country's foreign policy, it is unlikely the new figurehead will be able to truly change course while Iran's proxies wreaking havoc across the Middle East.