US imposes fresh sanctions on Iran ahead of nuclear talks

WASHINGTON — The United States imposed fresh sanctions on Iran on Wednesday, the Treasury Department said, two days after President Donald Trump announced the US planned "direct" talks with Teheran over its nuclear program.

The department designated five entities and one person based in Iran for their support of Iran's nuclear program, it said in a statement, with the aim of denying Iran a nuclear weapon.

The action comes after Trump made a surprise announcement on Monday that the United States and Iran were poised to begin direct talks on Teheran's nuclear program.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that the upcoming negotiations with the United States in Oman will be held indirectly.

He made the remarks at a ceremony to mark National Nuclear Technology Day, which fell on Wednesday, while elaborating on the talks in Oman, according to a statement published on the website of his office.

"The position of the Islamic Republic of Iran on major issues is the one repeatedly and explicitly stated by the country's supreme leader," he said, adding, "Regarding other issues, dialogue will take place where interaction is possible."

Pezeshkian stressed that Iran was ready for interaction and dialogue, but such an interaction should be "indirect, honorable, and with clear guarantees … as we do not trust the other side yet".

The president again pledged that his nation is "not after a nuclear bomb" ahead of the talks.

"We are not after a nuclear bomb," Pezeshkian added. "You (in the West) have verified it 100 times. Do it 1,000 times again."

In a further sign of the difficult path to any deal between the two countries, Trump issued a stark warning that if the talks were unsuccessful, "Iran is going to be in great danger."

After Trump's threat, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader said on Thursday that Teheran may suspend cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog if external threats continue.

"Continued external threats and putting Iran under the conditions of a military attack could lead to deterrent measures like the expulsion of IAEA inspectors and ceasing cooperation with it," Ali Shamkhani said on X, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The person targeted by the new sanctions is Majid Mosallat, managing director of the Atbin Ista Technical and Engineering Company, who, the US said, helps the company acquire components from foreign suppliers.

Agencies - Xinhua