TEHRAN, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that the country has sent its official response through Oman to a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump seeking nuclear talks.
In remarks to the official news agency IRNA, Araghchi said the response was "sent through Oman in an appropriate manner on Wednesday."
He added that the response included a letter that "thoroughly" explained Iran's viewpoints on the ongoing situation and Trump's letter.
Araghchi stressed that Iran insisted on no direct negotiation with the United States, particularly under the so-called "maximum pressure" campaign and military threats against Tehran, but noted that indirect negotiations could continue as in the past.
Trump told Fox Business Network in early March that he had sent a letter to Iran's leadership proposing negotiations for a new nuclear deal.
The letter was later delivered to Iran via the United Arab Emirates.
Iran signed a nuclear deal, namely the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, with world powers in July 2015, accepting restrictions on its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.
However, during Trump's first term of office, the United States withdrew from the deal in May 2018 and reinstated sanctions, prompting Iran to scale back some of its nuclear commitments.
Efforts to revive the nuclear deal have not achieved substantial progress. Iranian officials have repeatedly stressed that the country would not negotiate with the United States under pressure and sanctions. ■
