Iran: US sanctions "contradictory" to diplomacy
Shafaq News/ On Friday, Iran accused the United States of undermining diplomacy and casting doubt on its intentions after the postponement of a new round of indirect nuclear talks that had been scheduled for Saturday in Rome.
In a statement carried by Iranian media, the Foreign Ministry condemned the continuation of US sanctions, warning they 'raise serious questions about the sincerity and seriousness of the United States in negotiations.'
The fourth round of talks, initially set for May 3, was delayed due to what Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi described as 'logistical reasons,' with no new set date. Oman has previously hosted indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Tehran said it had entered past negotiations with the US 'in good faith,' citing a letter sent by President Donald Trump to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressing interest in resolving the nuclear standoff diplomatically.
'The Islamic Republic of Iran … will never tolerate, under any circumstances, approaches based on threats and pressure,' the statement said, calling such measures a violation of the UN Charter and international law.
Iran also accused Washington of undermining trust by targeting its trade and economic partners. 'Trying previous failed methods will only lead to the repetition of the same costly failures,' the ministry added, asserting that Iran's positions are 'logical and legitimate' under international norms.
The comments followed a message from Trump on the Truth Social platform, 'All purchases of Iranian oil, or petrochemical products, must stop, NOW! Any country or person who buys ANY AMOUNT of oil or petrochemicals from Iran will be subject to, immediately, secondary sanctions.'
The US reimposed sanctions on Iran in 2018 after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Tehran has since expanded its uranium enrichment efforts, while maintaining that its nuclear program is strictly for civilian purposes.
Foreign Ministry's statement on US's persistence in continuing and escalating illegal sanctionsFollowing a letter from the US president to the esteemed Leader of Iran's Islamic Revolution and the expression of readiness to pursue a diplomatic path to resolve the unnecessary and… pic.twitter.com/HOH2tNC519
— Foreign Ministry, Islamic Republic of Iran 🇮🇷 (@IRIMFA_EN) May 2, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Shafaq News
US Defense Official to Shafaq News: Middle East tensions under watch
Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, the US Department of Defense confirmed that it has authorized the voluntary departure of military families from several locations within the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations, which covers Iraq and other countries across the Middle East. 'The safety and security of our service members and their families remains our highest priority and US Central Command (CENTCOM) is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East,' a US Defense Official told Shafaq News, adding that 'CENTCOM is working in close coordination with our Department of State counterparts, as well as our Allies and partners in the region to maintain a constant state of readiness to support any number of missions around the world at any time.' Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Baghdad affirmed to Shafaq News that 'US President Donald Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad', explaining that 'In keeping with that commitment, we are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies. Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our Mission in Iraq.' A senior Iraqi government official told Shafaq News that 'There are no security indicators on the Iraqi side that justify an evacuation,' clarifying, 'steps concern the American diplomatic presence in several countries in the region, not Iraq alone'. These developments come amid rising regional tensions, particularly following comments by Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, who warned that Iran would strike US bases in the region if a confrontation erupted with Washington over nuclear negotiation.
Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Oil prices jump 4% to 2-month high as tensions rise in Middle East
Shafaq News/ Oil prices rose more than 4% on Wednesday, to their highest in more than two months, after sources said the US was preparing to evacuate its Iraqi embassy due to heightened security concerns in the Middle East. Brent crude futures settled $2.90, or 4.34%, higher to $69.77 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude gained $3.17, or 4.88%, to $68.15. Both Brent and WTI reached their highest since early April. Surprised traders bought crude futures on reports the US was preparing to evacuate its embassy in Iraq, OPEC's No. 2 crude producer after Saudi Arabia. A US official said military dependents could also leave Bahrain. "The market wasn't expecting this big geopolitical risk," said Phil Flynn, analyst at Price Futures Group. Earlier, Iran's Minister of Defense Aziz Nasirzadeh Tehran will strike US bases in the region if nuclear talks fail and conflict arises with Washington. Trump said he was less confident that Iran would agree to stop uranium enrichment in a nuclear deal with Washington, according to an interview released on Wednesday. Ongoing tension with Iran means its oil supplies are likely to remain curtailed by sanctions. Supplies will still increase, as OPEC+ plans to boost oil production by 411,000 barrels per day in July as it looks to unwind production cuts for a fourth straight month. "Greater oil demand within OPEC+ economies – most notably Saudi Arabia – could offset additional supply from the group over the coming months and support oil prices," said Capital Economics' analyst Hamad Hussain in a note. Also keeping prices elevated was news of a trade deal between the US and China, which could boost energy demand in the world's two biggest economies. Trump said Beijing would supply magnets and rare earth minerals and the US will allow Chinese students in its colleges and universities. Trump added the deal is subject to final approval by him and President Xi Jinping. The trade-related downside risk in oil has been temporarily removed, although the market reaction has been tepid as it is not clear how economic growth and global oil demand will be affected, PVM analyst Tamas Varga said. In the US, crude inventories fell by 3.6 million barrels to 432.4 million barrels last week, the Energy Information Administration said. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a draw of 2 million barrels. "It's a bullish report," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho, adding that the demand for motor gasoline began to strengthen. Product supplied for motor gasoline, a proxy for demand, rose by about 907,000 barrels per day last week, to 9.17 million bpd. US consumer prices increased only marginally in May, deepening the conviction in financial markets that the Federal Reserve will start cutting interest rates by September. Lower interest rates can spur economic growth and oil demand.
Shafaq News
6 hours ago
- Shafaq News
US Embassy to Shafaq News: President Trump committed to Americans safety
Shafaq News/ US President Donald Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Baghdad said in an exclusive statement to Shafaq News Agency on Wednesday. 'In keeping with that commitment, we are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies. Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our Mission in Iraq,' the spokesperson added. This came following an announcement from the embassy about a reduction in its staff in Iraq, confirming that the decision is part of broader regional measures aimed at ensuring the safety of American personnel. 'These steps concern the American diplomatic presence in several countries in the region, not Iraq alone,' A senior Iraqi government official told Shafaq News, adding that 'There are no security indicators on the Iraqi side that justify an evacuation.' The official reiterated that all available intelligence and security briefings point to increasing stability and internal security in Iraq. 'All Arab and foreign diplomatic missions operating in Iraq enjoy full freedom of movement, safe working conditions, and operational effectiveness across the country—not only in the capital, Baghdad,' the official noted.
