(AFP) – The United States said Thursday it expected new nuclear talks to take place soon with Iran, but President Donald Trump vowed to enforce sanctions and called for a global boycott of “any amount” of Iranian oil or petrochemicals. Iran stated that a fourth round of talks with the Trump administration, which had been set to take place this weekend in Rome, had been delayed. Oman, which has mediated between the long-time adversaries, attributed the delay to “logistical reasons.” However, in Washington, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce mentioned that the meeting’s date and venue had never been decided.
“We expect another round of talks that will take place in the near future,” she told reporters. Trump, who ripped up an earlier nuclear deal in 2018, has voiced hope of securing a fresh agreement to resolve concerns and stave off the possibility of an Israeli military strike on Iran. Yet, he has openly expressed ambivalence. Upon returning to office, he vowed a return to “maximum pressure” but admitted doing so reluctantly, under the influence of hawkish advisors.
Iran seeks relief from sweeping sanctions imposed by Trump in his first term, including a US attempt to bar all countries from buying Iranian oil. Trump on Thursday reiterated his vow of enforcement, a day after the United States imposed sanctions on seven companies accused of transporting Iranian-origin petroleum products. “All purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products, must stop, NOW!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Any Country or person who buys ANY AMOUNT of OIL or PETROCHEMICALS from Iran will be subject to, immediately, Secondary Sanctions,” he added.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Iran on social media over its support for Yemen’s Huthi insurgents, who are under attack from US airstrikes in response to their missile firings in the Red Sea, purportedly in solidarity with the Palestinians. “You know very well what the U.S. Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCES at the time and place of our choosing,” Hegseth wrote.
Iran’s foreign ministry condemned what it termed “the contradictory approach of American decision-makers and their lack of goodwill and seriousness in advancing the path of diplomacy.” The sanctions represent the latest US attempt “to disrupt friendly and legal relations between developing countries through economic terrorism,” it stated. Steve Witkoff, a business friend of Trump and the globe-trotting envoy leading the talks, expressed optimism about the atmosphere with the Iranians.
Witkoff had earlier hinted at more flexibility in the negotiations, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio — who is now also Trump’s national security advisor — insisted that the ultimate goal is the complete dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear program. Many analysts believe Tehran will never entirely relinquish its program, as the previous 2015 agreement, negotiated under former president Barack Obama, allowed for a limited civilian nuclear program.
The 2015 deal involved Russia, China, and three European powers — Britain, France, and Germany — which tried unsuccessfully to dissuade Trump from withdrawing from it. The European powers were also scheduled to meet with Iran on a technical level on Friday ahead of the US-Iran talks. “Since that meeting is not taking place, the technical meeting is no longer relevant, at least at that time,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said during a visit to Washington.
Western governments have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons capability — a claim Tehran has consistently denied, asserting that its program is for peaceful purposes only.
burs-sct/sla – Shaun TANDON
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