An adviser to Iran's highest authority on Thursday flagged significant issues with the current peace framework being discussed between the Islamic Republic and the United States, indicating that deep-seated uncertainties must be resolved prior to signing any accord.
Mohsen Rezaei, who serves as a counselor to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, made the remarks in an address broadcast on Iranian state television.
Rezaei asserted that US President Donald Trump is actively attempting to coerce Tehran into submitting to American terms, all while keeping Iran's own strategic prerequisites ambiguous and unaddressed.
The adviser further implied that core points of contention within the diplomatic track have yet to be settled, even as discussions continue.
The US and Iran have been holding indirect talks in an attempt to reach a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions and end regional hostilities, but so far no such deal has been reached.
Trump on Wednesday commented on the talks with Iran and speculated that a deal could be reached within days.
“I hear the negotiations with Iran are going very well. If a deal happens with Iran it could be done over the weekend," Trump told reporters, adding that Iran is “close" to signing the papers.
Trump stated he wants Iran’s enriched uranium transferred into US hands and expects that to happen in the near future.
Those comments came a day after Trump denied reports that the US and Iran had stopped holding talks on a potential deal on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stressed that the talks have been ongoing as recently as Tuesday, but also added that it is time for Iran to make a deal.
“Fake News Reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the U.S.A., stopped speaking a few days ago are false and erroneous," wrote Trump.
He added, “The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today. Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal. You’ve been doing this for 47 years, and it cannot be allowed to go on any longer!’"
Trump’s red line for a deal has long been that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, a red line which he reiterated in a conversation with reporters on Thursday.
In the remarks, Trump said that former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama “inspired" Iran to have a nuclear weapon.
“The Obama deal, I terminated that or they would have had a nuclear…that was a road to a nuclear weapon. Our deal - if we make that deal and it's going well but who knows - if we make that deal it's the exact opposite. They will never have a nuclear weapon. I'm not going to let them have a nuclear weapon," he stated.