Iran conveyed its "explicit" stance to the European parties on the nuclear talks, throwing the ball into the US court to decide on negotiations to exchange prisoners and revive the 2015 agreement, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani.
Iranian and Western officials have said the US is in talks with Iran to chart steps that could lead to an "understanding" to limit Iran's nuclear program, release some detained US citizens, and release some Iranian assets abroad.
A Western official told Reuters last week that the key US objective is to keep the nuclear situation from worsening and to avoid a potential clash between Israel and Iran.
The Western official said the idea was to create a status quo acceptable for all, getting Iran to avoid the Western redline of enriching to 90 percent purity, commonly viewed as weapons grade, and possibly even to "pause" its enrichment at 60 percent.
During a press conference, Kanaani rejected "media speculations" about an informal understanding between Tehran and Washington regarding negotiations.
He asserted that Iran was committed to the negotiating table to secure the rights of the Iranian people.
The US government denied reports it was seeking an interim agreement, using its carefully crafted deniability to leave open the possibility of a less formal "understanding" that could avoid congressional review.
Kanaani said that the prisoner exchange was still on the agenda, adding that Iran is waiting to see whether the US government was ready to decide.
The spokesman asserted that Iran was serious about achieving results but must see whether Washington is ready to reform its former wrong policies.
He explained that the chief negotiator, Ali Bagheri-Kani, conveyed "explicit" messages from Tehran during his recent negotiations with European officials.
US and European officials have been searching for ways to curb Tehran's nuclear efforts since the breakdown of indirect US-Iranian talks. The willingness to restart discussions illustrates the rising urgency in Western capitals about Iran's program.
On June 13, Bagheri-Kani held talks with diplomats from the European Troika, and they touched on a wide range of issues, according to a statement by the German Foreign Ministry.
A week later, the Iranian negotiator met the coordinator of the nuclear talks and EU foreign policy official, Enrique Moura, in Doha.
There had been more than one round of indirect talks in Oman between US National Security Council official Brett McGurk and Iran's chief nuclear negotiator.
Kanaani pointed out that Bagheri-Kani discussed various important issues, including negotiations to lift the sanctions, and described the atmosphere of the negotiations as "serious and frank."
He said the meeting conveyed Iran's clear position to the European parties and listened to their views."
The spokesman noted that Washington is taking contradictory steps as it insists on negotiating and resolving contentious issues, including the nuclear agreement, while attempts are to implement new legal frameworks to maintain and tighten sanctions on Iran.
Iran's position is clear, he asserted, adding that Tehran has proven that it has not and will not restrict its foreign relations and the provision of its national interests to the fate of links with a specific country or cause and issue.
"In our foreign relations, we work based on national interests."
Asked about the Iraqi Kurdistan region obtaining defensive systems from the US to "confront Iran," Kanaani asserted that without doubt, the Iraqi government would clarify the matter, adding that regional authorities must also explain.
He explained that according to the bilateral relations based on security agreements between the two countries, the Iraqi federal government is expected to fulfill its duty in securing the border.
"We did not and will not trust the US government," the government agency ISNA quoted him as saying in this regard.
The US government sees its interests in instability and tension in the region, he said.
Regarding the Russian use of a large number of Iranian-made drones in Ukraine, Kanaani said that Tehran held negotiations with the Ukrainian side in Muscat, and they failed to provide evidence of Iran's arming of Russia, noting that Kyiv rejected an Iranian request for a second round of talks.
Kanani said the Western accusations against Iran were "politicized," and Tehran would never support the Ukrainian war.
