Iran open to deal if US avoids excessive demands, Ghalibaf says
Iran remains open to reaching an agreement with the United States, but Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s chief negotiator, says any deal depends on Washington changing its approach. In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, Ghalibaf said the United States must refrain from creating distrust and from presenting what Iran considers excessive demands.
His remarks set out a conditional willingness to negotiate rather than a rejection of diplomacy. Iran’s position, as described by its chief negotiator, is that an agreement remains possible if discussions are conducted in a way that allows confidence to develop between the two sides. However, Ghalibaf made clear that Iran would not yield to demands it regards as excessive, drawing a firm boundary around what it would accept in negotiations.
The interview therefore presents Iran as prepared to keep the possibility of a deal open while warning that pressure, mistrust and unrealistic expectations could prevent progress. Ghalibaf’s message is that the responsibility for creating conditions conducive to an agreement lies partly with the US approach to the talks.
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