TEHRAN, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday the country would not respond positively to U.S. draft nuclear proposal containing "radical and maximum" demands.
He made the remarks during a weekly press conference in the capital Tehran while commenting on a U.S. proposal for a potential nuclear deal presented to Iran on Saturday by Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi.
Baghaei said both Iran and the United States were aware of each other's red lines, emphasizing that Iran insists on continuing its uranium enrichment and securing the effective removal of what it calls "cruel" sanctions -- two issues he said must be included in any potential agreement with Washington.
He stressed that the lifting of sanctions remains Iran's primary demand in the ongoing indirect nuclear negotiations with the West.
Baghaei said Iran was ready to implement trust-building and transparent measures regarding its nuclear program under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. However, he stressed that Iran needs to ensure the genuine removal of the sanctions imposed against Tehran over the past decades.
He noted that the United States had not provided clarification regarding the removal of the sanctions, adding Iran needed a clear understanding of the mechanisms regarding how the sanctions would be lifted and ensure that it would be able to witness the effects of the sanctions' removal, particularly in sectors such as foreign trade, economy, and banking.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Sunday, Iranian foreign minister said the country was preparing the response to the U.S. proposal, the official news agency IRNA reported.
Since April, Iran and the United States have held five rounds of Omani-mediated indirect talks, three in the Omani capital Muscat and two in Rome, over Tehran's nuclear program and the possible lifting of U.S. sanctions.
The fifth round was held in Rome on May 23, and the sixth round is expected to be held in the coming days, although the date and venue have not been announced yet.
In recent days, the United States has repeatedly demanded that Iran completely cease uranium enrichment, a request firmly rejected by Tehran. ■
