TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi here on Tuesday dismissed the possibility of direct negotiations with the United States on his country’s nuclear energy program.
His remarks came a day after Washington announced fresh sanctions on Tehran targeting more than 30 vessels and people, including the head of the national oil company, for the legitimate sale and shipment of Iranian oil.
The sanctions were the latest to be imposed since U.S. President Donald Trump reinstated his illegal “maximum pressure” policy towards Iran, reprising his approach during his first term.
“There will be no possibility of direct talks between us and the United States on the nuclear issue as long as the maximum pressure is applied in this way,” Araghchi said during a joint press conference with his visiting Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. 
“Regarding the nuclear negotiations, the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is very clear. We will not negotiate under pressure, threat or sanctions.”
Lavrov arrived in Tehran on Tuesday for talks with Araghchi and other senior officials on a range of topics including bilateral relations, regional developments and the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers.
Lavrov said Russia will pursue diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue. “We’re convinced that the tool of diplomacy remains,” Lavrov said. “It cannot be neglected — it must be used as effectively as possible without any threats and without hints at the possibility of certain forceful solutions.”
The Iranian foreign minister praised the rapid progress in economic cooperation between Tehran and Moscow, citing collaborations in energy, railways, and agriculture.
During Trump’s first term, which ended in 2021, Washington withdrew from the landmark deal.
On Monday, Iran held a new round of talks with Germany, France and Britain after reviving engagement with the trio, known as the E3, late last year. Araghchi said he had briefed Lavrov about the latest discussions.
“On the nuclear issue, we will move forward with the cooperation and coordination of our friends in Russia and China,” he added.
With Russia too facing sanctions over its war in Ukraine, Moscow and Tehran have stepped up their cooperation in recent years.
During a visit to Moscow in January, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a strategic partnership with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin underpinning their economic and military cooperation.
Both Iran and Russia supporter the former Syria government of Bashar al-Assad which was toppled by militants formerly linked to Daesh last December. Araghchi said Iran and Russia’s positions on Syria remain “very close”.
“Iran wants peace, stability, preservation of territorial integrity and unity, and the progress of Syria based on the will of the people,” he said.
Lavrov, for his part, said “we will do our utmost to ensure that the situation calms down and does not pose a threat either to the Syrian people... or to the people of neighboring states”.
Araghchi also touched on his “detailed and constructive” discussions with Lavrov on a broad range of topics, particularly concerning the Caucasus, Asia, and Eurasia.
He praised the rapid progress in economic cooperation between Tehran and Moscow, citing collaborations in energy, railways, and agriculture. On Palestine, Araghchi said they discussed Trump’s “unacceptable” forced displacement plan targeting Gaza residents.
The Russian diplomat’s visit comes one week after he met with his U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia to discuss the war in Ukraine.
On Monday, the United States sided with Russia in two votes in New York, signaling a seismic shift as Trump stakes out a drastically new position on the Ukraine war.
“Yesterday’s event at the UN General Assembly and the Security Council showed one very important thing: the understanding that the approach aimed at eliminating the root causes of the crisis has no alternative,” Lavrov said in Tehran.
The Russian foreign minister said both sides agreed to enhance cooperation within the framework of the BRICS group of emerging economies.
Lavrov drew attention to a notable increase in trade between Iran and Russia despite Western sanctions. “Trade exchanges between Iran and Russia have increased by more than 13%, and we hope this trend will continue.”
The Russian minister also expressed satisfaction with the progress on the Rasht-Astara railway project.
“Construction has begun, supported by a Russian government loan, which is an important step toward establishing the North-South Corridor,” he said, referring to a trade route connecting India to northern Europe.
Lavrov further pointed to Tehran’s successful hosting of the Caspian Economic Forum and expressed optimism about convening a joint economic cooperation commission later this year.