Baqaei: Oman will continue to be a mediator

Ismail Baqaie, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated in an interview that the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions were examined in the indirect negotiations with the United States.

Regarding the topic of indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States mediated by Oman, he said: If we consider the correspondence that took place as the starting point of a process that led to the indirect talks in Muscat, as the basis for our work, we had nothing in that correspondence except the nuclear issue.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continued: Therefore, I think it is clear that the American side, based on the same guidelines they had, entered into negotiations.

Baqaie emphasized that we had previously announced, and the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran has also been clear, that the topics of the negotiations are the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions. He stated: These were important issues for us, and we will not engage in dialogue with the American side on other topics; this was the basis of our work, which was also pursued in Muscat.

Regarding speculations about the inclusion of Iran's missile program in the indirect negotiations with the United States, he said: Such a discussion has not even been raised at all. Beyond media discussions and statements by officials from the opposing side, whether American or European, what has been our basis and what we were committed to negotiating, in accordance with the instructions received from the authorities of the system and based on the beliefs of the diplomatic apparatus about them, were the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions.

Baqaie emphasized that the negotiations will continue to be indirect, mediated by Oman, and said: Oman, as the mediating party, plays this role; that is, the framework of the negotiations will continue as it has been.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, regarding the next location for the indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States, stated: We are examining whether the next round of indirect negotiations with the United States will be in Oman or elsewhere; what is important is that Oman will continue to be the mediator. Wherever it may be, Oman will be responsible for arranging the necessary preparations and logistics for the delegations and for exchanging messages between the delegations.

He said: It is possible, for example, that due to considerations that are not very significant, the location of the negotiations may change; what is important is that the format and structure of the negotiations continue in the same way, that is, indirectly with Oman's mediation.