Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made the remark in an interview with Iran newspaper that was published on Wednesday.
Zarif confirmed that Iran had received offers for mediation from some countries, saying it is natural to receive such offers when two countries do not have any official links between one another.
“The Swiss embassy, which is in charge of operating the US Interests Section in Tehran, has been exchanging messages in the last 39 years and continues to do so,” Zarif said. “And regional countries, particularly those as tactful as Oman, are not comfortable with the current state of affairs in the region and wish to do something to prevent the escalation of crisis.”
“Now, if someone went to Americans and invited them to exercise tact and prudence, no one would for sure have anything against that,” said Zarif, adding, however, that there has been no direct talks or an exchange of messages between Iran and US.
“If this country [US] believes in negotiations, it first needs to prove its good will in regard to an agreement that was being implemented for over two years, and show us how it is going to make up for its lack of commitment,” said Zarif, implying US withdrawal from the landmark Iran nuclear deal and the reinstatement of sanctions.
“It is only with this condition that they [Americans] can talk about other proposals; in absence of this condition, any calls for negotiation is perhaps considered as merely a publicity stunt,” he stressed.
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