Iran will continue reducing its commitments under its 2015 nuclear deal until it reaches the "desired result," Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday, according to his official website.
"We will continue the reduction of commitments," Khamenei said in a meeting with commanders of the Revolutionary Guards.
"The responsibility is with the Atomic Energy Organization and they must be carry out the reduction ...in a precise, complete and comprehensive way and continue until the time we reach a desired result."
A plan for talks presented to the United States and Iran by French President Emmanuel Macron is broadly acceptable to Iran, President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday during a cabinet meeting that was broadcast live.
He said some wording needed to be changed in the plan, which outlines that Iran will not pursue nuclear weapons and will help the security of the region and its waterways, while Washington will remove all sanctions. It would also allow Iran to immediately resume oil sales.
But Rouhani also told the cabinet meeting, broadcast on state TV, that mixed messages about sanctions received from the United States while he was there last week had undermined the possibility of talks. Rouhani attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
He added that it was not acceptable for US President Donald Trump to say in public that he would intensify sanctions while European powers were telling Tehran in private that he was willing to negotiate.
"The American president on two occasions, once in his speech at the United Nations and another time, said explicitly that we want to intensify sanctions. I told these European friends, so which part should we accept? Should we accept your word that you say America is ready?" Rouhani said.
"Or the words of the president of America who in 24 hours said explicitly twice ... that I want to intensify sanctions? [The Europeans] didn't have a clear answer."
