Tehran Rejects Trump’s Maximum Pressure Policy During Visit by Russia’s Lavrov

Iran’s foreign minister made assertions after the United States slapped a fresh round of sanctions on the country’s oil industry.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov holds a joint news conference with his Iranian counterpart following their meeting in Moscow on Oct. 6, 2021. Kirill Kudryavtsev/Pool via Getty Images

Iran has ruled out holding direct talks with Washington as long the latter’s policy of applying “maximum pressure” on Iran—recently revived by U.S. President Donald Trump—remains in place.

“Iran’s stance on the nuclear negotiations is crystal clear,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said at a joint news conference in Iranian capital Tehran with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Feb. 25.