Matthew Miller: Nuclear Agreement, Whether Temporary or Not, is Misleading and Incorrect News

The spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, in a press conference referencing rumors about a temporary nuclear agreement, reiterated the previous stance of the U.S. and stated: "A nuclear agreement, whether temporary or not, is misleading and incorrect news." Matthew Miller emphasized that the main goal of U.S. policy is to ensure that the Islamic Republic never acquires nuclear weapons. According to him, diplomacy is considered the preferred route to achieve this goal, but the U.S. is prepared for all options and contingencies. In response to a question about whether a nuclear agreement has been put back on the agenda, he stated: "The United States always believes in the power of diplomacy. While the U.S. remains vigilant about the activities and ambitions of the Islamic Republic, we believe that diplomacy is the best approach to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons." However, Mr. Miller clarified that all options are on the table for the U.S. This senior State Department official also addressed the issue of detainees in the Islamic Republic, stating that securing the freedom of Americans held abroad, including in the Islamic Republic, is a top priority for the U.S. However, he had no updated information on the status of the detainees and urged the Islamic Republic to release them. The spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, referring to reports quoting Benjamin Netanyahu about accepting a "small agreement," stated that he refrains from speculating about the "non-existent agreement." He confirmed that he had seen the report but declined to comment further. During the press conference, when the topic of sanctions exemptions arose, Mr. Miller clarified that since 2018, the State Department has allowed Iraq to pay for electricity imported from the Islamic Republic through exemptions. Nevertheless, Matthew Miller emphasized that these funds are only accessible for humanitarian and non-sanctioned transactions approved by the U.S. These funds will not be transferred to the Islamic Republic but will be used for humanitarian purposes such as food and medicine. Mr. Miller was also questioned about the credibility of the Islamic Republic in properly managing humanitarian budgets, given its history of human rights violations, and he emphasized the U.S. firm stance in holding the Islamic Republic accountable for its "malicious activities." The interview also touched on the potential resumption of relations between Bahrain and the Islamic Republic. Mr. Miller stated that the U.S. encourages "diplomatic engagement" in the region if it can help limit the activities of the Islamic Republic. During this press conference, a question was raised regarding the demonstrations by Iranians advocating for women's freedom and their explicit opinions, to which Mr. Miller emphasized the U.S. concern about violence and mistreatment of women in the Islamic Republic and the suppression of protests, stating that the U.S. will continue to oppose "the suppression of protests." Finally, in response to a question about Ebrahim Raisi's visit to Venezuela and Nicaragua and the signing of cooperation agreements, he reiterated U.S. concerns about the activities of the Islamic Republic but refrained from further comments on this matter.