TEHRAN, Mar 20: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that a recent letter sent by US President Donald Trump calling for new nuclear talks was "actually more of a threat", and that Tehran would respond soon.
Araghchi told Iranian state television that while the letter purported to offer up opportunities, it was "actually more of a threat", adding that Iran was now studying its contents and would respond "in the coming days".
On March 7, Trump said he had written to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling for negotiations and warning of possible military action if Iran refused.
Khamenei said the US invitation to talks was aimed at deceiving world public opinion by portraying the United States as ready to negotiate and Iran as unwilling.
Iran's foreign ministry has said it will conduct a "thorough assessment" before responding to the letter which was delivered by a senior United Arab Emirates diplomat on March 12.
Araghchi said the response "will be sent through the appropriate channels," without elaborating.
On Wednesday, US news website Axios, citing a US official and other sources, reported that the letter included a "two-month deadline for reaching a new nuclear deal."
Trump, who returned to the White House for a second term in January, has reinstated his "maximum pressure" policy of sanctions against Iran, mirroring his approach during his first term. �"AFP
