The latest U.S. sanctions on Iran suggest a “lack of goodwill and seriousness” from the United States in the talks with Iran over its nuclear program, according to the spokesman of the Iranian foreign ministry.
After tightening the screws on Iran’s oil trade and oil flows, the Trump Administration is seeking negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, determined to never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
The U.S. and Iran started indirect talks via mediators last week, but it isn’t clear where the dialogue is going amid mixed messages. Talks are expected to resume at expert level on Saturday in Oman.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Iranian national and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) magnate Seyed Asadoollah Emamjomeh and his corporate network. The U.S. says the network is collectively responsible for shipping hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian LPG and crude oil to foreign markets.
“The United States remains committed to holding accountable those who seek to provide the Iranian regime with the funding it needs to further its destabilizing activities in the region and around the world,” Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a statement on Telegram cited by Reuters, “The continued imposition of sanctions against various economic sectors of Iran is in clear contradiction with the U.S. claim for dialogue and negotiation and indicates the lack of goodwill and seriousness of the U.S. in this regard.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said this week he believes the talks were going in the right direction.
“We are cautiously optimistic and if the Americans continue to stay in a constructive way and avoid any unrealistic, undoable demands, I am confident we can conclude a good deal at the end,” Araghchi said.
By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com
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