An Iranian minister told the media that they are still not ready for a new round of face-to-face negotiations with the U.S. because Washington has not abandoned its maximalist demands on several issues.
On 18 Apr 2026 GMT+7, Saeed Katibzadeh, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, told the Associated Press (AP) that Iran is not yet ready for a new round of direct talks with the U.S. because the Washington government refuses to drop its "maximalist" demands on key issues.
Katibzadeh told AP that Tehran's government will not hand over enriched uranium to the U.S., calling the proposal "impossible from the start," despite U.S. President Donald Trump claiming last Friday that Iran had agreed to deliver about 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium to the U.S.
The deputy minister added that although contact continues between the two sides, Iran wants a "framework agreement" to be finalized before beginning face-to-face negotiations.
Furthermore, the U.S. needs to "understand and respond to our main concerns," which include sanctions measures imposed on Iran.
Source:bbc