Russia says talks with US will not affect cooperation with Iran

"Iran has always kept the door open for negotiations, but when maximum pressure [directive] is signed, talks become meaningless," Fatemeh Mohajerani told reporters.

"An interagency plan to counter maximum pressure will be announced soon, and all parties are prepared," she added.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump signed a directive restoring the so-called maximum pressure policy on Iran of his first term and warned of "catastrophic" consequences if Tehran does not make a deal on its nuclear program.

After signing the memorandum, he said he would prefer a deal with Tehran to an Israeli attack on their nuclear sites.

On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Washington's maximum pressure campaign of sanctions and mooting of military force will not force Iran to negotiate about its nuclear program.

"Iran’s position is clear and explicit: We will not negotiate under pressure and threats," Araghchi told reporters in Tehran after a meeting with his Sudanese counterpart.

"The presidential order for maximum pressure speaks for itself. Maximum pressure and resolutions have never been effective against Iran … We will not negotiate under threat," he added.

The remarks appear to represent a hardening line by Tehran to the suggestion by US President Donald Trump that Iran come to a deal with Washington about its disputed nuclear program or potentially face military strikes.

"Iran’s position is clear and explicit: We will not negotiate under pressure and threats," Araghchi told reporters in Tehran after a meeting with his Sudanese counterpart. "The presidential order for maximum pressure speaks for itself."

The remarks appear to represent a hardening line by Tehran to the suggestion by US President Donald Trump that Iran come to a deal with Washington about its disputed nuclear program or potentially face military strikes.

"Maximum pressure and resolutions have never been effective against Iran … We will not negotiate under threat," Araghchi added.

Trump this month signed a directive reviving his maximum pressure policy on Iran from his first term aimed at driving the Islamic Republic's oil exports to zero. After signing the memorandum, he said he would prefer a deal with Tehran to an Israeli attack on their nuclear sites.

"I would love to make a deal with them without bombing them," he later said on Fox News, drawing ire in Iran.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei appeared to reject the idea of talks with the hawkish Trump administration and senior leaders have fallen in with the position.

The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is due to visit Tehran for a bilateral visit, Araghchi added, saying that there was no indication he carried a message or would be playing any mediating role.

A key go-between in regional conflicts, Qatar maintains good relations with both Tehran and Washington.

Al Thani's visit represents one of the most high-level foreign visits to Iran as it has been locked in over a year of direct and regional combat with Israel.

The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post reported last week citing US intelligence assessments from January that Israel saw an opening for an attack on Iranian nuclear sites as early as the first of this year with Iran weakened and Trump seen as sympathetic to a strike.

“There is an increased Iranian effort to smuggle money to Lebanon for Hezbollah in order to restore its power and status, including via Turkey and through its cooperation,” Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar told a visiting delegation of US senators and Deputy Middle East Special Envoy Morgan Ortagus.

The allegations of cash deliveries to Hezbollah led to a suspension of flights between Iran and Lebanon last week, which met with harsh reaction from the Tehran-backed group.

“Hezbollah demands that the Lebanese government reverse its decision of preventing the Iranian plane from landing at Beirut airport and take serious measures to prevent the Israeli enemy from imposing its dictates and violating sovereignty,” a statement read on pro-Hezbollah outlet Al-Mayadeen.

Tehran denies that Iranian passenger flights have been used to ship cash to Hezbollah, but the Lebanese government has so far refused to back down, announcing on Monday that the suspension of flight from Iran has been extended.

Shortly after, Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said he had discussed the issue with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib.

“He emphasized that the decision in this matter was not political but rather technical and legal,” Araghchi quoted Bou Habib as saying.

Sa’ar’s accusations against Turkey could complicate matters as Tehran and Beirut try to find a solution to resume flights. Turkey has not publicly responded to the claims.

In his meeting with the American delegation, Sa’ar asserted that Iran is seeking to compensate for its recent regional setbacks by advancing its nuclear program, not elaborating on what those advances were and if his assessment was based on public or classified information.

Israel is said to have decided on a military attack on Iran if no agreement is reached between Tehran and Washington, according to Al-Hadath citing a senior European diplomat.

CNN reported on Sunday that Riyadh is open to brokering discussions between the US and Iran to curb Tehran’s nuclear program.

The kingdom is concerned, the US network reported, that Iran might pursue nuclear weapons more aggressively after Israel battered regional allies which had acted as Iran's deterrent to a direct Israeli attack for decades.

Asked about the CNN report at his weekly press briefing Monday, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei denied any knowledge and said these were only “media speculations.”

An article titled "Will Saudi Arabia Mediate Iran-US Negotiations?" published by Nour News on Monday outlined key obstacles to Saudi mediation. It highlighted Iran's deep mistrust of the US, shaped by the policies of former President Donald Trump, who withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal. The article also pointed to conflicting Iranian and Saudi interests in regional matters, including Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria, as additional challenges to mediation efforts.

Iranian authorities are “seeking strong guarantees of reduction of sanctions before entering new talks,” the media outlet close to former Iranian national security chief Ali Shamkhani, wrote.

Despite these challenges, Nour News acknowledged the potential for reduced tensions and even a new agreement if Saudi Arabia facilitates balanced, pressure-free negotiations.

Foreign affairs expert Ali Bigdeli, speaking to Nameh News on Sunday, noted that Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic influence had grown, citing an upcoming US-Russia meeting in Riyadh as evidence. He suggested Iran might view Saudi mediation positively. “Mr. Araghchi’s visit to Oman may not be unrelated to this matter,” he added.

Bigdeli also argued that Saudi mediation would differ significantly from that of Qatar, given Saudi Arabia’s dominant role in the Persian Gulf.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei repeatedly asserted in the past that the Islamic Republic would never engage in negotiations with the Trump administration. He also notably declined to respond to a message from Trump, delivered by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in June 2019.

In a speech on February 7, after Trump issued an executive order to reinstate his “maximum pressure” sanctions on Iran, Khamenei emphatically rejected talks with the United States.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Riyadh on Monday ahead of planned talks between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, to be hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. While Iran’s nuclear program may be discussed, no official announcements have been made.

On Sunday, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said President Donald Trump is willing to engage in talks with Iran only on condition that Tehran fully abandon its nuclear program.

"The President has also expressed a willingness to take whatever action is necessary. All options are on the table," Waltz told Fox News on Sunday, leaving the option of diplomatic channels open.

Oman acted as a mediator between Iran and the United States before the talks that led to the 2015 nuclear deal, and Qatar has recently offered to mediate new talks.

Speculation has risen that this topic may feature in the upcoming visit of Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Tehran. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei denied these claims during his weekly briefing on Monday.

Iran and Saudi Arabia restored diplomatic ties in 2023, facilitated by Iraq and China. The Saudi Embassy in Tehran reopened in August of that year, seven years after vigilantes attacked and torched the building in protest to the execution of dissident Shia cleric Nimr Baqir al-Nimr in Saudi Arabia.

"The government will be accountable for any problems these centers may cause," said Alireza Rahimi, Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs. He added that an expert group has been formed to evaluate the effectiveness of these websites in increasing marriage rates.

While Rahimi acknowledged what he called “some abuses" at these centers, he did not elaborate on the details of possible problems and oversight mechanisms. He added that the police are responsible for dealing with unlicensed matchmaking services.

The move comes as Iran faces a declining marriage rate and rising divorce rate. Government efforts to encourage higher birth rates have failed to produce results, according to data from the National Organization for Civil Registration.

According to the latest data from Iran's Civil Registration Organization, nearly 39% of marriages in the first seven months of the Iranian year 1403 (March to September 2024) ended in divorce. Data from the Statistical Center of Iran also reveals a 46% decrease in marriages between 2010 and 2023.

Economic hardship, rising awareness of individual and family rights, and access to legal and counseling services are among the factors contributing to young people's reluctance to marry.

In January, Iran's Science Ministry announced it is removing educational content discouraging childbearing and offering new incentives to boost declining fertility rates. These include more married student dorms, on-campus kindergartens, and increased financial aid for housing, loans, and other benefits for married students with children.