Iran denies for talks with US unless all sanctions lifted

Iran has denied for talks with the United States unless all sanctions imposed on Tehran are lifted.

President Hassan Rouhani, in a speech to state television has said that Tehran has never wanted nuclear weapons.

He said, first the US should act by lifting all illegal, unjust and unfair sanctions then talks will be held.

He vowed to continue to scale back commitments under the 2015 deal if Iran’s interests are not guaranteed.

Hassan Rouhani’s change of heart came a day after Trump said that there was a “really good chance” the two could meet after a surprise intervention by French president Emmanuel Macron during the G7 summit to try to bring Washington and Tehran together.

“Without the US’s withdrawal from sanctions, we will not witness any positive development,” Rouhani said in a televised speech, adding that Washington “holds the key” to what happens next.

“If someone intends to make it as just a photo op with Rouhani, that is not possible,” he said.

Rouhani also shielded his foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, against criticism from hardliners over his surprise visit to Biarritz on Sunday, where leaders of the G7 rich democracies were meeting.

Macron said he hoped Trump and Rouhani could meet within weeks in hopes of saving the 2015 nuclear deal that Tehran struck with world powers, but which the US unilaterally withdrew from last year.

Under the deal, Iran agreed to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.