Iran open to resuming nuclear talks - acting foreign minister

Tehran remains open to resuming negotiations with Washington on restoring their participation in a nuclear agreement, Iran's acting foreign minister told Newsweek magazine in an interview published on Tuesday.

Ali Bagheri-Kani's remarks come as he prepares to address the United Nations Security Council in New York on issues not directly related to Iran.

The United States under President Donald Trump withdrew from in 2018 from the nuclear accord between Iran and six world powers which restricted Tehran's nuclear program.

Indirect talks between the US and Tehran to revive the deal during the Biden administration have stalled. Iran is still part of the agreement but it has decreased its commitments due to US sanctions imposed on it.

Newsweek said: "On the foreign policy front, he (Bagheri Kani) said that Tehran remained open to resuming negotiations with Washington toward restoring mutual participation in a nuclear deal."

However, Iran also intended to foster its deepening ties with China, Russia and neighboring nations, it quoted him as saying. Iran will also call for greater action against Israel in view of the Gaza war, he said.

The Biden administration said last week the United States was not ready to resume nuclear talks with Iran under its new president. With the election of Masoud Pezeshkian earlier in July, some speculated that Tehran intended to hold more serious talks with Washington, but so far the new president has signaled the continuation of Iran's regional policies of projecting power.

Bagheri-Kani became the acting foreign minister after foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian died in a helicopter crash along with Iran's president Ebrahim Raisi in May. Some interpreted his decision to travel to New York to attend the Security Council meeting as a possible attempt to pursue the issue of more talks. Iran is not a member of the Council at the present time.

Masoud Pezeshkian was then elected as president in a snap election. During his campaign he said he will promote a pragmatic foreign policy and ease tensions with the powers involved in the 2015 nuclear pact. However, after his election he exchanged messages with Iran's militant proxy forces across the region, re-affirming Tehran's support for their anti-Israel and anti-West stance.

He has so far been mostly silent on the nuclear issue. Iran has enriched enough uranium to be able to produce at least three bombs.

Asked about Iran's ability to make nuclear weapons and if the country may change its decision to develop them, he reiterated that Iran is an "accountable and responsible" member of the International Atomic Energy Agency and signatory to the NPT [Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons].

"Iran will make use of all its potentials and capacities within the framework of the NPT and the Safeguards Agreement in order to expand its peaceful nuclear activities according to its national plans and programs," he added.

With reporting by Reuters