Iran Considers Talks with US to Ensure ‘Peaceful’ Nature of its Nuclear Program

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian
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Iran Considers Talks with US to Ensure ‘Peaceful’ Nature of its Nuclear Program

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian

Iran would consider negotiations with the US if the aim of the talks was to address concerns regarding any potential militarization of its nuclear program, Iran's UN mission said on Sunday.
At the same time, Iran rejected any attempts aimed to dismantle its “peaceful” nuclear program.
In a post on X the mission said: “If the objective of negotiations is to address concerns vis-à-vis any potential militarization of Iran’s nuclear program, such discussions may be subject to consideration.”
“However, should the aim be the dismantlement of Iran’s peaceful nuclear program ... such negotiations will never take place,” the post added.
Also on Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country’s principled policy is centered on de-escalation and fostering unity, adding that Iran has never sought to acquire nuclear weapons, citing the decree issued by the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
In a phone conversation with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, the President said Iran considers tensions, unrest, and conflicts as harmful to itself, the region and the world.
This is the first public contact between an Iranian president and a Western official since US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he wanted to negotiate with Iran on its nuclear file and had sent a letter to the Iranian leadership on Thursday.

“Iran has always advocated for peace, stability, and security in the region, striving to prevent war and confrontation whenever possible,” Pezeshkian said.
He then rejected western attempts to portray Iran’s “peaceful nuclear activities” as a source of insecurity, noting that the regime is the root cause of tension and crisis through its initiation of war and genocide against the oppressed Palestinian people.
The Iranian presidential website then quoted Store as calling for the continuation of discussions and meetings between officials of both countries. He also underscored Norway's commitment to a peaceful resolution of regional issues and expressed readiness to assist in this process.

 

 



Hundreds Protest in The Hague against NATO, Days before the Dutch City Hosts Alliance Summit

A man holds a placard during a demonstration ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
A man holds a placard during a demonstration ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
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Hundreds Protest in The Hague against NATO, Days before the Dutch City Hosts Alliance Summit

A man holds a placard during a demonstration ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
A man holds a placard during a demonstration ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Hundreds of people protested Sunday against NATO and military spending and against a possible conflict with Iran, two days before a summit of the alliance in The Hague that is seeking to increase allies' defense budgets.

“Let's invest in peace and sustainable energy,” Belgian politician Jos d'Haese told the crowd at a park not far from the summit venue.

Although billed as a demonstration against NATO and the war in Gaza, protesters were joined by Iranians who held up banners saying “No Iran War,” the day after the United States launched attacks against three of Iran's nuclear sites, The AP news reported.

“We are opposed to war. People want to live a peaceful life,” said 74-year-old Hossein Hamadani, an Iranian who lives in the Netherlands. Look at the environment. “Things are not good. So why do we spend money on war?” he added.

The Netherlands is hosting the annual meeting of the 32-nation alliance starting Tuesday, with leaders scheduled to meet Wednesday.

The heads of government want to hammer out an agreement on a hike in defense spending demanded by US President Donald Trump. The deal appeared largely done last week, until Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that committing Madrid to spending 5% of its gross domestic product on defense "would not only be unreasonable, but also counterproductive.”

US allies have ramped up defense spending since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, but almost a third of them still don’t meet NATO’s current target of at least 2% of their gross domestic product.

The summit is being protected by the biggest ever Dutch security operation, code named “Orange Shield," involving thousands of police and military personnel, drones, no-fly zones and cybersecurity experts.