Iran 'won't die of hunger' if US nuclear talks fail, President says

Masoud Pezeshkian's comments follow Foreign Minister's denial that Tehran could freeze enrichment for three years

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, centre, and his team during the second round of indirect talks with US officials in Rome. EPA

Iran will be able to survive if negotiations with the US over its nuclear programme fail to secure a deal, President Masoud Pezeshkian has said, after US President Donald Trump described weekend talks with Tehran as "very good".

The negotiations aim to resolve a decades-long dispute over Iran's nuclear ambitions, and Mr Trump has threatened Iran with crippling economic sanctions and military action if no new agreement is reached.

"It's not like we will die of hunger if they refuse to negotiate with us or impose sanctions," Mr Pezeshkian was quoted as saying on Monday by state media about the talks with Washington. "We will find a way to survive."

Iranian and US delegations wrapped up a fifth round of talks in Rome last week. While signs of some limited progress emerged, there are many points of disagreement that are proving hard to overcome, notably the issue of Iran's uranium enrichment. Mr Trump on Sunday hinted that an announcement could come in the “next two days”.

Asked about reports that Iran could freeze enrichment for three years to reach an agreement, foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told a press conference: "Iran will never accept that." Mr Baghaei also ruled out the possibility of an interim nuclear deal with the US, dismissing media reports that a provisional agreement was being considered as a temporary step towards a final deal.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the front page of the May 24 edition of the Iranian daily newspaper Javan. EPA

Iran is waiting for further details from mediator Oman regarding the timing of the sixth round of talks, Mr Baghaei said. "If there is goodwill from the American side, we are also optimistic, but if negotiations are aimed at curbing Iran's rights then talks will get nowhere," he added.

Washington wants to curtail Tehran's potential to produce a nuclear weapon that could trigger a regional nuclear arms race and perhaps threaten Israel. Iran, for its part, maintains that its nuclear programme is exclusively for civilian purposes and wants to be rid of devastating sanctions on its oil-centric economy.

The US and Iran on Friday made progress in a fifth round of talks that focused on Tehran’s nuclear programme, Washington said. A senior US administration official said that the two-hour round of talks in Rome – characterised as both "direct and indirect" – were constructive.

"We made further progress, but there is still work to be done. Both sides agreed to meet again in the near future," the official said. The talks were hosted at the embassy of Oman, which is acting as mediator in the indirect negotiations. Iran and the US made “some but not conclusive progress” on Friday, Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi had said.

“The fifth round of Iran-US talks have concluded today in Rome with some but not conclusive progress,” Mr Al Busaidi wrote on X. “We hope to clarify the remaining issues in the coming days, to allow us to proceed towards the common goal of reaching a sustainable and honourable agreement.”

Sticking points seem to remain with US demands that Iran stop enriching uranium while Tehran insists its programme must continue.