US Lacks Serious Approach On Nuclear Issue, Sanctions - Iran Foreign Ministry spokesperson

TEHRAN, May 1 (Bernama-IRNA) -- Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the United States (US) does not have a serious approach to the nuclear issue and sanctions, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.

Baqaei spoke about the latest status of negotiations between Iran and the US in a television programme on Thursday.

The spokesperson said that over the past year and a half, whenever Iran engaged in talks with the US on the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions, the US simultaneously conducted military actions against Iran and intensified sanctions instead of easing them.

There is deep mistrust between the two countries, rooted in a long history dating back to before the Islamic Revolution, he said, adding that the US expects its maximum demands to be accepted, while Iran has consistently put forward proposals based on ending the war and establishing a ceasefire.

On a possible change of mediator in Iran-US talks, Baqaei said many countries have expressed readiness to mediate, but the official mediator remains Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Baqaei referred to the seizure of an Iranian ship by the US, describing it as an act of maritime piracy.

He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been pursuing the matter through the Pakistani mediator to secure the release of the detained citizens.

-- BERNAMA-IRNA