US ready for unconditional talks with Iran: Pompeo

WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in Switzerland on Sunday that Washington is ready for unconditional talks with Tehran, according to a press release issued by the State Department.

The United States is prepared to engage "in a conversation with no preconditions," Pompeo told media during a joint press conference with his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis in Switzerland.

"We're ready to sit down with them," Pompeo added.

However, the top US diplomat also emphasized that Washington would not change its effort to reverse Iran's "malign activity."

Pompeo's remarks came one day after Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said that the talks between Tehran and Washington would be likely if the latter shows respect.

"We favor logic and negotiations if they sit at the negotiation table with full respect and follow international regulations," Rouhani said, according to official IRNA news agency.

Rouhani's words slightly deviated from the earlier position of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of negotiations with the United States, calling it would be "fruitless and a loss."

By implementing "maximum pressure campaign" against Iran, the Trump administration has called for the renegotiation of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which Washington chose to abandon May last year, as well as Tehran's developing missile program and its regional role.

Over the recent weeks, Washington has ratcheted up pressure against Tehran by a series of sanctions, designations and military threats.

Iranian authorities have stressed that Tehran would not sit for negotiations under Washington's threats or sanction pressures.