Tehran: Kamal Kharazi, head of Iran's Strategic Council on Foreign Relations (SCFR), says the Islamic Republic remains open to indirect negotiations despite rejecting Washington's current diplomatic approach.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Kharazi highlighted that the U.S. administration's current strategy appears as a psychological war, promoting a "war or negotiation" policy through mixed messages. Kharazi, a former foreign minister, pointed out that these contradictory communications from U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump and his recent letter to Iran, aim to create confusion, false optimism, and polarization within Iran.

Kharazi questioned the U.S. strategy's intentions, suggesting it invites negotiation amidst intensified economic sanctions and military threats. He cautioned that negotiations without clear principles, based on past experiences, are unreliable.

Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, signed by Barack Obama in 2015, marked a shift towards economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation. Although Trump reinstated this policy in his second term, he has shown interest in negotiating a new deal.

Kharazi criticized this strategy as coercive, imposing one party's demands on the other. He suggested that a better understanding of Iran might have led Trump to act differently, potentially resolving historical issues for mutual economic benefit.

Despite the tensions, Kharazi affirmed that Iran remains open to indirect negotiations to evaluate the situation, present its conditions, and make informed decisions. He urged Trump to avoid past mistakes and adopt principles of genuine dialogue-equality, mutual respect, and avoidance of threats-to gain the trust of Iranians seeking fair negotiations.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has ruled out direct negotiations with the United States under pressure, citing Washington's history of reneging on its commitments.