Iran says no talks with US unless it lifts sanctions

Published On: August 29, 2019 12:10 PM NPT By: Associated Press

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif smiles as he speaks during a forum titled "Common Security in the Islamic World" in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. Zarif said Iran’s supreme leader will not meet with U.S. President Donald Trump unless Washington halts its “economic terrorism” that has hurt ordinary Iranian civilians. Zarif said the removal of U.S. sanctions could also help salvage the Iranian nuclear deal, which may break apart after the U.S. left last year. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, Aug 29: Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif says Iran’s supreme leader will not meet President Donald Trump unless Washington halts its “economic terrorism” that has hurt ordinary Iranians.

Zarif says the removal of U.S. sanctions could also help salvage the Iranian nuclear deal, which the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from last year.

He says Tehran has the right to reduce its compliance under the nuclear pact after the U.S. left but it can easily “revert back to full implementation” if the U.S. fulfils its commitment and returns to the table.

He told a forum in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday that “you do not negotiate with terrorists. If they want to negotiate, they have to abandon terrorism,” in reference to the rollback of sanctions.