Tehran is signaling a cautious openness to dialogue with Washington, but only on realistic terms that safeguard mutual interests. This comes from a top advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who emphasized that negotiations must avoid overreaching demands.
Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, shared these views in an interview with Al Jazeera, aired on Friday. The remarks arrive amid renewed indirect talks between Iran and the US over the nuclear issue, with the first round held in Oman on February 6.
Shamkhani stressed that all parties should steer clear of actions destabilizing West Asia’s security. Diplomatic efforts in the region, he noted, aim to de-escalate tensions and bolster political resolutions.
He drew a firm line on Iran’s missile program, calling it a non-negotiable ‘red line.’ Any aggressive move against Iran, he warned, would provoke a ‘firm, decisive, and proportionate’ response.
Pointing to Israel, Shamkhani asserted it couldn’t strike Iran without US backing. Iran’s military readiness, he boasted, is at peak levels, promising heavy costs for any miscalculation.
Tensions remain high between Tehran and Washington, with increased US military presence in the region. Yet, diplomatic channels persist. Earlier, President Masoud Pezeshkian echoed similar sentiments, vowing not to bow to excessive demands on the nuclear program while affirming readiness for inspections, insisting peaceful intentions.