TEHRAN, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that Tehran is considering whether to take part in the next round of indirect nuclear negotiations with the United States, according to Iran's official news agency IRNA.
He made the remarks at a ceremony in Tehran to mark the first anniversary of his predecessor Hossein Amir-Abdollahian's death in a helicopter crash on May 19 last year.
Araghchi said, "We will stand against excessive demands at the negotiating table, but we have never abandoned diplomacy."
He stressed that Iran's position was clear that "(Uranium) enrichment will continue with or without an agreement."
The minister said the country "is ready to" provide transparency regarding its nuclear program, and that in return, talks should be held on the removal of the sanctions imposed on Iran, and the embargoes should be lifted.
On Tuesday, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran was reviewing a proposal it received for the fifth round of indirect talks with the United States.
Facilitated by Oman, Iranian and U.S. delegations have so far held four rounds of indirect talks since April on Tehran's nuclear program and the lifting of U.S. sanctions.
In recent days, U.S. officials have repeatedly demanded that Iran completely cease uranium enrichment, a request firmly rejected by Tehran, which considers the issue "non-negotiable." ■
