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Iran is pushing again in opposition to US calls for that it instantly negotiate over its nuclear program or be bombed, warning neighbors that host US bases that they could possibly be within the firing line if concerned, a senior Iranian official mentioned.
Though Iran has rejected US President Donald Trump’s demand for direct talks, it desires to proceed oblique negotiations by way of Oman, a longtime channel for messages between the rival states, mentioned the official, who spoke to Reuters on situation of anonymity.
“Oblique talks supply an opportunity to judge Washington’s seriousness a few political answer with Iran,” mentioned the official.
Though that path could possibly be “rocky,” such talks might start quickly if US messaging supported it, the official mentioned.
Iran has issued notices to Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey and Bahrain that any help for a US assault on Iran, together with the use of their air area or territory by US navy throughout an assault, could be thought-about an act of hostility, the official mentioned.
Such an act “could have extreme penalties for them,” the official mentioned, including that Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had positioned Iran’s armed forces on excessive alert.
Warnings by Trump of navy motion in opposition to Iran have jangled already tense nerves throughout the area after open warfare in Gaza and Lebanon, navy strikes on Yemen, a change of management in Syria and Israeli-Iranian exchanges of fireplace.
Worries of a wider regional conflagration have unsettled states round the Gulf, a physique of water bordered on one aspect by Iran and on the opposite by US-allied Arab monarchies that carries a major proportion of worldwide oil provides.
Spokespeople for the governments of Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark. Turkey’s Overseas Ministry mentioned it was not conscious of a warning however that such messages could possibly be conveyed by different channels.
On Wednesday, Iranian state media reported that Kuwait had reassured Iran that it will not settle for any aggressive motion being directed at different international locations from its soil.
Iran’s ally Russia mentioned on Thursday that US threats of navy strikes in opposition to the Islamic Republic have been unacceptable and on Friday known as for restraint.
Iran is making an attempt to achieve extra help from Russia, however is skeptical about Moscow’s dedication to its ally, mentioned a second Iranian official. This “relies on the dynamics” of the connection between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the official mentioned.
Two-month window
Trump has mentioned he would favor a deal over Iran’s nuclear program to a navy confrontation and he mentioned on March 7 he had written to Khamenei to counsel talks.
The primary Iranian official mentioned a primary spherical of oblique talks might contain Omani mediators shuttling between the Iranian and US delegations. Khamenei has approved Overseas Minister Abbas Araqchi or his deputy, Majid Takht-e Ravanchi, to attend any talks in Muscat.
Oman’s authorities spokesperson didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Nonetheless, the official believed there was a window of round two months to agree a deal, citing worries that Iran’s long-time foe Israel would possibly launch its personal assault if talks took longer, and that it might set off a so-called “snap again” of all worldwide sanctions on Iran to forestall the nation from buying a nuclear weapon.
Iran has lengthy denied eager to develop a nuclear weapon. Nonetheless, it’s “dramatically” accelerating enrichment of uranium to as much as 60% purity, near the roughly 90% weapons-grade degree, the UN nuclear watchdog has warned.
Western states say there isn’t any want to counterpoint uranium to such a excessive degree below any civilian program and that no different nation has achieved so with out producing nuclear bombs.
Whereas Iran has mentioned it can take into account talks with the US if the intention was to handle issues over its program, it has rejected holding any direct negotiations when the US is making threats and has mentioned its missile program could be off limits.
A senior Iranian navy commander, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ Alireza Hajizadeh, had implied on Monday that US bases within the area could possibly be focused in any battle.
In 2020, Iran focused US bases in Iraq after the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, the top of the IRGC’s Quds Pressure, in a US missile strike in Baghdad.
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