WANA (Apr 22) – Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, voiced confidence in Russia’s continued constructive role in the Iranian nuclear file, while dismissing recent reports of Saudi Arabia acting as a mediator in indirect Tehran-Washington talks.

 

Baghaei rejected media claims about Saudi involvement, stating, “All such reports are mere rumors and media speculation that do not align with reality.”

 

Baghaei emphasized that Moscow remains a key player in the negotiations, saying, “We believe that Russia will continue to play an important and constructive role in the future of Iran’s nuclear issue.”

 

He added: “While we are still in the early stages of talks with the United States and have yet to delve into detailed discussions, we have always appreciated Russia’s positive contributions and believe our Russian friends are ready to step in constructively if needed.”

 

The first round of indirect negotiations between Iran and the U.S., mediated by Oman, was held on April 12 in Muscat, and the second round of talks took place in Rome on Saturday, April 19, again with Oman as the intermediary. Both sides expressed optimism about the process and agreed to continue discussions in Oman.

 

Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi described the second round of indirect talks between Iran and the United States as “moving forward,” announcing that technical meetings at the expert level will begin on Wednesday, April 23, and the third round is scheduled for Saturday, April 26.

 

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Baghaei also wrote on X (formerly Twitter), ” There were useful indirect talks today between Iran and the United States conducted by Oman’s Foreign Minister in a constructive atmosphere. The two sides agreed to continue the indirect talks in a few days at a technical level to be followed by another round at their own level on coming Saturday.”