Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh speaks during a press conference in Tehran on Feb 22, 2021. (ATTA KENARE / AFP)
TEHRAN – For any form of talks with the United States, Washington should first take "practical" steps, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday.
Iran hasn't had any direct or indirect talks with the United States since the latter's unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in 2018, Khatibzadeh told reporters during his weekly press conference.
Washington has not only penalized companies cooperating with Iran, but also punished its own allies in order to prevent Iran's trade and economic ties, said Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh
Washington has not only penalized companies cooperating with Iran, but also punished its own allies in order to prevent Iran's trade and economic ties, he said.
The Islamic republic will not hold talks in any format with the United States as long as these realities in the policies of the United States continue to exist, he added.
Iran recently agreed to start the stalled nuclear talks with the remaining parties to the JCPOA, aimed to restore the deal. It was announced that the talks will resume in November.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that the United States was "absolutely in lock step" with Britain, Germany and France on getting Iran back into a nuclear deal while adding that it was unclear if Tehran was willing to rejoin the talks in a "meaningful way."
Blinken's remarks in an interview with CNN on Sunday come a day after the United States, Germany, France and Britain urged Iran to resume compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal in order to "avoid a dangerous escalation."
The accord, under which Iran curtailed nuclear work in exchange for a lifting of global sanctions, unraveled in 2018 after then-president Donald Trump withdrew the United States.
"It really depends on whether Iran is serious about doing that," Blinken said on Iran rejoining the nuclear talks.
The nuclear deal is not the only point of contention between Iran and the US. On Friday, the US issued a fresh round of Iran-related sanctions tied to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps drone program that it said threatened regional stability.
READ MORE: Iran says nuke talks must lead to lifting of sanctions
President Joe Biden said on Sunday that the US will "respond" to actions Iran has taken against Washington's interests, including drone strikes.
Leaders of the US, Britain, France and Germany, hoping to persuade Tehran to stop enriching uranium to near-weapons-grade levels, said on Saturday they wanted a negotiated solution.
"But we do not yet know whether Iran is willing to come back to engage in a meaningful way," Blinken said on Sunday. "But if it isn't, if it won't, then we are looking together at all of the options necessary to deal with this problem."