Iran: US sanctions "contradictory" to diplomacy
Shafaq News/ On Friday, Iran accused the United States of undermining diplomacy and casting doubt on its intentions after the postponement of a new round of indirect nuclear talks that had been scheduled for Saturday in Rome.
In a statement carried by Iranian media, the Foreign Ministry condemned the continuation of US sanctions, warning they “raise serious questions about the sincerity and seriousness of the United States in negotiations.”
The fourth round of talks, initially set for May 3, was delayed due to what Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi described as “logistical reasons,” with no new set date. Oman has previously hosted indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Tehran said it had entered past negotiations with the US “in good faith,” citing a letter sent by President Donald Trump to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressing interest in resolving the nuclear standoff diplomatically.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran … will never tolerate, under any circumstances, approaches based on threats and pressure,” the statement said, calling such measures a violation of the UN Charter and international law.
Iran also accused Washington of undermining trust by targeting its trade and economic partners. “Trying previous failed methods will only lead to the repetition of the same costly failures,” the ministry added, asserting that Iran’s positions are “logical and legitimate” under international norms.
The comments followed a message from Trump on the Truth Social platform, “All purchases of Iranian oil, or petrochemical products, must stop, NOW! Any country or person who buys ANY AMOUNT of oil or petrochemicals from Iran will be subject to, immediately, secondary sanctions.”
The US reimposed sanctions on Iran in 2018 after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Tehran has since expanded its uranium enrichment efforts, while maintaining that its nuclear program is strictly for civilian purposes.
Foreign Ministry’s statement on US’s persistence in continuing and escalating illegal sanctionsFollowing a letter from the US president to the esteemed Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution and the expression of readiness to pursue a diplomatic path to resolve the unnecessary and… pic.twitter.com/HOH2tNC519
— Foreign Ministry, Islamic Republic of Iran 🇮🇷 (@IRIMFA_EN) May 2, 2025
