Khamenei: Nuclear talks with US bring 'no benefit, only harm' for Iran

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has dismissed the prospect of nuclear negotiations with the United States. (Photo/AP)

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has dismissed the prospect of nuclear negotiations with the United States, saying they would bring “no benefit” and could even inflict “irreparable harm” on Iran.

“Negotiating with America not only brings no benefit but also causes major harm under the current conditions, some of which might even be described as irreparable,” Khamenei said on Tuesday in a televised address.

His remarks came as Iran’s foreign ministry confirmed that Tehran and European powers had agreed to continue consultations on its disputed nuclear programme after high-level talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Talks with the E3

The ministers of France, Britain, and Germany, known as the E3, along with the EU’s foreign policy chief, met with Iran’s foreign minister in a last-ditch effort to head off the reimposition of UN sanctions.

“Some ideas and proposals for continuing diplomacy were raised during the meeting, and it was agreed that consultations will continue,” the ministry said in a statement.

On August 28, the E3 launched a 30-day process to reimpose sanctions, accusing Tehran of failing to uphold the 2015 nuclear deal intended to block it from developing atomic weapons.

The deadline for that process expires September 27. Tehran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful.

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Source: TRT