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Iran’s reformist president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has signalled a renewed openness to resuming nuclear negotiations with western nations and denied that his country had supplied ballistic missiles to Russia since he took office seven weeks ago.
In his first press conference with local and foreign media, he defended strong ties with the Kremlin, adding that at a time when the Islamic republic was struggling under western-imposed sanctions, Russia provided crucial support.
“Some [military] exchanges might have happened in the past, and there was no obstacle in doing so,” Pezeshkian told reporters in Tehran on Monday. But “what can be said with certainty is that it [sending ballistic missiles to Russia] has not happened since we assumed office”. He gave no further details.
The US, UK, Germany and France have accused Iran of supplying ballistic missiles to Russia for its war against Ukraine, prompting the announcement of a new round of sanctions against Tehran.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken said last week that Russia was expected to deploy the new missiles, which have a maximum range of 75 miles (120km), within weeks. According to Blinken, this would provide Moscow with “additional capability and additional flexibility”, allowing it to conserve its other long-range missiles for deeper targets within Ukraine.
Pezeshkian, who was elected in a tight race against his hardline rival in July, said his government would seek peace rather than war in the world and was ready to consider a resumption of talks over its nuclear programmes, akin to the accord Iran signed with world powers in 2015.
In 2018, then US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and imposed harsh sanctions on Iran. In response, Tehran has been enriching uranium up to 60 per cent purity — close to weapons grade — for more than three years.
“We are seeking a return to the framework of the [2015] nuclear deal. If they stop, we shall stop, too. If they are committed to the accord, we will be, too,” Pezeshkian said. “We are not seeking nuclear [arms]. But we will not bow down to pressure.”
The 69-year-old added that “we don’t want to be under sanctions and don’t want to fight with anybody”, while urging the US “to respect our people’s rights and not to plot”. He said the Islamic republic would be “committed to its agreements with the US and Europe”.
Western diplomats insist they are willing to give negotiations a chance, but are convinced that Iran is co-operating militarily with Russia in its war against Ukraine and say this significantly reduces the likelihood of reaching a new nuclear agreement.
Meanwhile, increased tensions between Iran and Israel have made signing a fresh nuclear agreement even more complicated than it was in 2015. The risks of an all-out regional war escalated when Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran hours after attending Pezeshkian’s inauguration in July. Iran blamed the killing on Israel and pledged retaliation at the time and place of its choosing.
“They [Israel] wanted to drag us into a regional war, but we have so far shown restraint while we reserve the right to respond,” he said, referring to Haniyeh’s killing.
Pezeshkian is using diplomacy in an attempt to repair Iran’s image both at home and abroad.
He chose Iraq as his first foreign trip last week and was the first Iranian president to visit Iraq’s Kurdistan region, where he impressed his hosts by speaking Kurdish. He also visited the Shia-populated city of Basra where he wore the traditional robe gifted to him by Shia tribal leaders.
Pezeshkian will travel to New York this month to deliver his first address to the UN General Assembly, where he is expected to criticise Israel over the Gaza war but will also explore the possibility of renewed negotiations with the west.