Iraqi: For now, our solution is indirect negotiations with the Trump administration

Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic, in a recent interview, stated that Khamenei sees no logical reason for direct negotiations and announced that Tehran's strategy is indirect negotiations with Donald Trump's administration. In an interview conducted in late Esfand of last year but published for the first time on Sunday, Farvardin 3, he referred to Ali Khamenei's recent speeches, saying that 'for now, the tactic and strategy' of Iran is indirect negotiations. He stated: 'It is seen as lacking intelligence that in a situation where maximum pressure exists, no wise person would enter into direct negotiations... For now, our tactic and strategy is that negotiations should be indirect.' The recent interview of the Iranian Foreign Minister confirms the statements of Steve Vitkoff, the U.S. Special Representative for Middle East Affairs, who revealed in an interview published last Friday that Iran is contacting the U.S. through intermediaries and 'through several countries,' but did not provide details on this matter. Abbas Araghchi reiterated in his recent interview that Iran will soon respond to Trump's letter to Khamenei, saying: 'Sending letters and correspondence is part of diplomacy. But at the same time, it can also be part of pressure and threat.' He had previously referred to this aspect of 'pressure and threat.' Vitkoff: Iran is 'contacting the U.S. through several countries.' Araghchi stated on Thursday, Esfand 30, in a special Nowruz program on Islamic Republic television that the Islamic Republic will see both 'threat and opportunity' in its response and will send the letter in the coming days through 'appropriate means.' The U.S. President announced two weeks ago in an interview with Fox News that he had sent a letter to Ali Khamenei proposing direct negotiations. Later, an American official and two sources familiar with the content of the U.S. President's letter told Axios that Trump has given Tehran a two-month deadline to reach a new nuclear agreement with Washington. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic stated the day after Mr. Trump announced that he had sent a letter to him that Iran would not negotiate with 'bullying governments.' Abbas Araghchi emphasized again in his interview that due to changing conditions over the past few years, the JCPOA is no longer 'revivable,' but 'can serve as a basis and model for negotiations.' He explained the changing conditions: 'Because our nuclear situation has advanced significantly, and we can no longer return to the conditions of the JCPOA. The sanctions from the other side are also the same. Many new sanctions have been imposed, and conditions have changed. Moreover, there is a government in place that has exited the JCPOA and opposes it.' Abbas Araghchi added that 'as an expert and diplomatic negotiator, I say that under these conditions, it is no longer possible to enter into negotiations with the U.S. unless certain things change.' Iran and six world powers reached the nuclear agreement known as the JCPOA in July 2015 during Barack Obama's presidency, but Mr. Trump, who has always criticized 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 has significantly accelerated its uranium enrichment, especially in the past year.