Kuwaiti Paper Alleges:
Iran Turned Down U.S. Request for Direct Talks
KUWAIT (Dispatches) -- The United States proposed Iran to hold direct talks on neutral soil to settle disagreements, the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida has reported, citing an unnamed source at Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
"The Americans suggested Muscat or Geneva as venue for the consultations. At first, it was only about inmates with dual citizenship held in Iranian prisons, but later they proposed to discuss a whole range of controversial points on the condition of confidentiality,” it reported.
Tehran rejected it, saying "Washington had lost Iran’s trust, especially after President Donald Trump took a tougher stance on the nuclear deal,” it said. The source also stressed that the country’s Security Council opposed "any direct contacts with Washington”, it added.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s hostile approach towards Iran has further alienated the two countries.
In October 2017, Trump decided not to certify the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), stating that Washington was ready to unilaterally leave the agreement.
The JCPOA was signed in July 2015 by Iran, China, France, Russia, the UK, the U.S. and Germany. The agreement stipulates lifting of sanctions imposed on Tehran in exchange for the latter maintaining the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.
"The Americans suggested Muscat or Geneva as venue for the consultations. At first, it was only about inmates with dual citizenship held in Iranian prisons, but later they proposed to discuss a whole range of controversial points on the condition of confidentiality,” it reported.
Tehran rejected it, saying "Washington had lost Iran’s trust, especially after President Donald Trump took a tougher stance on the nuclear deal,” it said. The source also stressed that the country’s Security Council opposed "any direct contacts with Washington”, it added.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s hostile approach towards Iran has further alienated the two countries.
In October 2017, Trump decided not to certify the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), stating that Washington was ready to unilaterally leave the agreement.
The JCPOA was signed in July 2015 by Iran, China, France, Russia, the UK, the U.S. and Germany. The agreement stipulates lifting of sanctions imposed on Tehran in exchange for the latter maintaining the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.