Iraqchi Says Iran Sent Response to Donald Trump's Letter via Oman

Iran's Foreign Minister announced that Iran's official response to Donald Trump's letter was sent to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic through Oman for the United States. Abbas Iraqchi stated this on Thursday, April 7, to the IRNA news agency, adding that the letter was sent a day earlier, on April 6. The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic continued that 'this official response includes a letter in which our viewpoints regarding the current situation and Mr. Trump's letter are fully explained and conveyed to the other side.' Axios also reported, citing an informed source, that Omani officials have informed the U.S. about the response received from Iran and will deliver Iran's letter to the White House in 'the coming days.' Axios noted that this official did not disclose any information about the content of Iran's response. The U.S. President announced on March 8 that he had sent a letter to Ali Khamenei proposing direct negotiations. It was later reported that this letter was handed to Iran's Foreign Minister by Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic advisor to the President of the United Arab Emirates, during his meeting with Abbas Iraqchi on March 13. A U.S. official and two sources familiar with the content of the U.S. President's letter told Axios on March 20 that Trump had given Tehran a two-month deadline to reach a new nuclear agreement with Washington. The Supreme Leader stated a day after Trump announced he had sent a letter to him that Iran would not negotiate with 'bullying governments.' Subsequently, the Supreme Leader repeatedly rejected proposals for negotiations with the Trump administration, most recently stating on April 1 to the United States: 'You will get nowhere' and 'You will be slapped.' Abbas Iraqchi emphasized on Thursday while announcing the sending of the response letter to Donald Trump that 'our policy remains on not negotiating directly under maximum pressure and military threats, but indirect negotiations, as has existed in the past, can continue.' He explained that Iran's indirect negotiations with the U.S. had also taken place during the administrations of Hassan Rouhani and Ebrahim Raisi. Hours earlier, Kamal Kharrazi, an advisor to Ali Khamenei and head of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations of Iran, also stated that the Islamic Republic is ready to begin 'indirect negotiations' with the U.S. Iran and six world powers reached a nuclear agreement known as the JCPOA in July 2015, and Trump, who has always criticized the terms of this agreement, announced the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA in May 2018. Iran denies seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, but after the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, it deviated from its commitments under this agreement and significantly accelerated its uranium enrichment, especially in the past year. Steve Witikoff, the U.S. President's special representative for Middle Eastern affairs, emphasized on April 1 that Donald Trump is trying to prevent military conflict with Iran through 'confidence-building,' and Iran is also in contact with the U.S. through 'intermediaries.' According to Witikoff, the U.S. President also emphasized in his message to the Islamic Republic that a verification program must be established 'so that no one is concerned about the militarization of your nuclear materials, as the alternative solution [military action] is not a very good substitute.'