The US and Iran traded barbs at the UN Security Council on Tuesday over conditions for reviving nuclear talks, with the US saying it remains ready for direct negotiations but Iran rejecting Washington's terms.
The two countries held five rounds of nuclear talks before a 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June, which Washington joined by striking Iranian nuclear sites.
The talks faced major stumbling blocks, notably over uranium enrichment on Iranian soil – a practice western powers want eliminated to minimise the risk of weaponisation, but which Tehran has firmly rejected.
“The United States remains available for formal talks with Iran, but only if Tehran is prepared for direct and meaningful dialogue,” Trump's deputy Middle East envoy Morgan Ortagus told the Security Council.
“We have been clear, however, about certain expectations for any arrangement. Foremost, there can be no enrichment inside of Iran, and that remains our principle.”
Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the meeting the US was not pursuing fair negotiation by insisting on a zero enrichment policy.
“We appreciate any fair and meaningful negotiation, but insisting on zero enrichment policy, it is contrary to our rights as a member of the NPT, and it means that they are not pursuing the fair negot
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