Tehran is ready to begin negotiations with the United States, subject to mutual respect and equality. Kamal Kharrazi, head of Iran’s Strategic Council for Foreign Relations and chief adviser to the country’s spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said this in an interview with the American television channel CNN.
“We are ready for these (negotiations with the United States) on the basis of mutual respect and equality if the topics and process of negotiations are determined in advance,” he said, speaking about the possibility of starting a dialogue with the United States.
Kharrazi noted that the first step should come from the Washington administration. “They must demonstrate their willingness to engage with us within the framework of the conditions that we have put forward,” he said.
The adviser also stressed that Iran will continue its nuclear development.
“We must continue to enrich uranium because we need fuel for nuclear power plants and medical activities. We cannot stop enrichment. However, its level can be negotiated,” he noted.
Kharrazi also said that Tehran will not abandon its program ballistic missiles.
“We must defend ourselves. We will continue to develop all types of defensive weapons that we can produce. With the United States and other countries, we are discussing only the nuclear issue. Topics such as the missile program are not subject to negotiations,” he concluded.