Iranian president says talks with US 'step forward'

TEHRAN -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday described the recent nuclear talks between his country and the United States as "a step forward."

He made the comments in a post on X, highlighting the indirect negotiations between Iranian and US delegations in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on Friday.

Pezeshkian said that the discussions took place as a result of the follow-up efforts by "friendly" governments in the West Asia region, emphasizing that dialogue has consistently been Iran's chosen strategy for resolving issues peacefully.

Meanwhile, speaking at a national conference in the Iranian capital Tehran, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who headed the country's delegation at Friday's talks, said, "No one can tell us what to have and what not to have."

He assured that Iran has no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons, while firmly rejecting any form of bullying.

Araghchi said: "If they speak to Iranian people using the language of force, we will respond to them with the same language. However, if they talk to us using the language of respect, their response will be given with the same language."

The Friday talks were held amid heightened regional tensions between Washington and Tehran, including a recent US military buildup in the Middle East and Iran's stepped-up preparations.

After the conclusion of negotiations, Araghchi said: "In general, I can say that it was a good start. However, the continuation of the process depends on the two sides' consultations in their capitals and their decisions about how to continue it."