Iran has not yet set a time or place for resuming nuclear negotiations with the United States and conditions its return to the table on "seriousness," a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday. "So far, no time or place has been set for the resumption of negotiations," spokesperson Ismail Baghaei said at a weekly press conference, according to Iran's Tasnim news agency. He added that there were no arrangements for a meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff. When asked about Tehran's conditions for resuming talks, Baghaei said Iran had entered the negotiations with seriousness, but that Israel "committed a crime against Iran" before the planned sixth round, a reference to the war Israel launched against Iran on June 13. "Unless we are assured of the usefulness and effectiveness of diplomacy, we will not enter such a path," Baghaei said. "We must stress that the dichotomy of negotiating or not negotiating should not turn into a stigma against diplomacy. Diplomacy is an opportunity, and we are not authorised to deprive our country of its right to achieve its national interests. The diplomatic apparatus, just like the armed forces, must serve Iran's national interests," he added. Araghchi said on Saturday that Iran was considering the "time, place, form, and necessary guarantees" to resume negotiations with the United States. TALKS WITH EUROPE Regarding negotiations with the European troika of Germany, France, and Britain, Baghaei said: "We are in contact with them, and we are committed to dialogue with them." However, he stated that resuming talks with them was "still under study, and I cannot specify a precise date at present, but we are holding consultations with these three countries." Baghaei warned that if the European troika resorted to the "snapback" mechanism to re-impose sanctions, it would mean "they no longer see a role for themselves in the diplomatic process and the Iranian nuclear file." He described the mechanism as having "no legal basis or logical justification." He also noted that the assessment of the damage to the Fordow nuclear facility from US strikes on June 23 was still ongoing. NO PROPOSALS FROM RUSSIA OR CHINA On the role of Russia, Baghaei said Tehran was in close contact with both Russia and China as parties to the nuclear deal and had "strategic relations" with both countries. However, he noted that while Moscow and Beijing have always declared their readiness to help with the nuclear file, "they have not presented any clear proposal so far." Baghaei denied reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin had sent a letter to Iran suggesting it abandon uranium enrichment. He said there was no such letter and that Russia "knows that Iranian decisions on the nuclear file are taken independently, and Russia has always respected this decision."
