The United States is open to holding talks with Iranian representatives during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, although no formal meeting between the parties has been scheduled so far.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with NBC News that Washington is "open" to a meeting with the Iranian delegation if such contact could lead to a concrete and positive result.
"We're open to that," Rubio said, stressing that the primary goal of any negotiations remains preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. "It all comes down to the fact that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. It simply can't," he said.
Rubio's statements come as the Iranian delegation is in New York for the UN General Assembly meetings and as Tehran has signaled its willingness to use this forum to restore diplomacy with Washington.
According to Reuters, the Iranian delegation in New York has full authority to pursue diplomatic negotiations with the United States. A senior Iranian official also said that Tehran considers the UN General Assembly an opportunity to resume talks, if Washington takes concrete steps towards diplomacy.
One of the most important issues in this confrontation is the Strait of Hormuz. According to the same Iranian official, Tehran is ready to reopen the strategic sea route within seven days if the United States reduces military pressure and lifts the blockade of Iranian ports. The proposal to resume negotiations was conveyed to Washington through intermediaries on September 16.
However, despite signals of a possible return to the negotiating table, there is still no scheduled meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian. Reuters reported that there have been no direct meetings between the two countries since July, when an interim deal to end the conflict collapsed weeks after being signed.
On the other hand, Trump stated in his speech to the General Assembly that a deal with Iran could be reached, but at the same time warned that Washington would continue to exert pressure on Tehran. The US president linked any possible agreement to the issue of the Iranian nuclear program.
In this climate, the nuclear issue, the end of the conflict, security in the Persian Gulf, and the future of the Strait of Hormuz are expected to be among the main topics of American-Iranian diplomacy during the days of the UN General Assembly.
For now, the parties have given different signals: Washington says it is open to talks, while Tehran demands concrete steps from the US to reduce military pressure and lift the blockade before returning to negotiations.
