• Indirect talks between US, Iran to revive nuclear deal, have stalled.
• Iran’s leaders want to see ease in US sanctions harming economy.
  
• FM Araqchi says won’t hold talks with secretary of state Blinken.

DUBAI: Iran is ready to start nuclear negotiations on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York if “other parties are willing”, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Monday in a video published on his Telegram channel.

The US, under then-President Donald Trump, withdrew in 2018 from a nuclear accord signed in 2015 by Iran and six world powers under which Tehran curbed its disputed nuclear programme in return for a lifting of international sanctions.

Indirect talks between Washington and Tehran to revive the deal have stalled. Iran is still formally part of the deal but has scaled back commitments to honour it due to US sanctions reimposed on the Islamic Republic.

“I will stay in New York for a few more days than the [Iranian] president and will have more meetings with various foreign ministers. We will focus our efforts on starting a new round of talks regarding the nuclear pact,” Araqchi said.

He added that messages have been exchanged via Switzerland and a “general declaration of readiness” issued, but cautioned that “current international conditions make the resumption of talks more complicated and difficult than before”.

Araqchi said he would not meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken: “I do not believe it would be expedient to hold such a dialogue. There were such meetings before but there is currently no suitable ground for that. We are still a long way from holding direct talks.”

Since the renewal of US sanctions during the Trump administration, Tehran has refused to directly negotiate with Washington and worked mainly through European or Arab intermediaries.

Iranian leaders want to see an easing of US sanctions that have significantly harmed its economy. But Iran’s relations with the West have worsened since the Iranian-backed Palestinian Hamas group attacked southern Israel on October 7, and as Tehran has increased its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden’s administration has said the United States is not ready to resume nuclear talks with Iran.