Iran rules out negotiating defense capabilities in nuclear talks

ISTANBUL

Iran said Monday it will not place its defense capabilities on the table in any negotiations over its nuclear program.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei told a press briefing in Tehran that “Iran’s defensive capabilities will never be subject to negotiations,” according to the state-run news agency IRNA.

Baqaei also confirmed that no international nuclear inspectors are currently operating in Iran. However, he said a visit by Massimo Aparo, deputy director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is scheduled to take place “within the next 10 days.”

Iran’s parliament previously passed legislation suspending aspects of Iran’s engagement with the IAEA, Baqaei said, adding that the path forward will be decided after Aparo’s trip.

On May 16, the three European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal – the UK, France, and Germany – met in Istanbul and agreed to maintain contact amid indirect talks between Iran and the US.

Negotiations between Iran and the US were being held through Omani mediators until Israel’s surprise attack on Iran on June 13, which triggered a 12-day war, targeting military, nuclear, and civilian sites as well as senior military commanders and nuclear scientists.

Tehran launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes, while the US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites.

The conflict came to a halt under a US-sponsored ceasefire that took effect on June 24.