Iran stated that it is willing to make concessions to reach a nuclear agreement with the United States if discussions on lifting sanctions on it are held.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, said in an interview with the BBC on the 14th (local time), “It is up to the United States to demonstrate the will to negotiate,” and added, “I am confident that if the U.S. shows sincerity, we can move toward an agreement.” However, he did not clarify whether the U.S. must lift all sanctions on Iran or whether an agreement would be possible with only a partial lifting.

Takht-Ravanchi cited Iran’s proposal that it could dilute 60% enriched uranium as evidence of a willingness to compromise. Uranium enriched to 60% can be quickly converted into uranium enriched to 90% or higher, the raw material for a nuclear warhead. Because of this, the international community has suspected that Iran plans to develop nuclear weapons.

Asked whether, as in the 2015 nuclear agreement, a stockpile amounting to 400㎏ of highly enriched uranium could be shipped overseas, he said, “It is too early to say what will happen in the course of negotiations.”

He drew a line, saying, “A ‘zero enrichment’ demand to completely halt uranium enrichment will not be on the negotiating table.” U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters the previous day, “Uranium enrichment must stop.”

Takht-Ravanchi also said ballistic missiles would not be included within the scope of the negotiations. He said, “When we were attacked by Israel and the United States, it was missiles that saved us, so how can we accept being asked to forgo our own defensive capability?”

Regarding the strengthening of U.S. military power in the Middle East, Takht-Ravanchi said, “(Another war) would leave trauma for everyone,” and added, “If we judge that the situation threatens our survival, we will respond accordingly.”