TEHRAN (AP) — Iran’s foreign minister says that direct talks with the United States are “possible” but that any such breakthrough initiative must be approved by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader.
Monday’s comments by Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi mark the first clear signal that Iran could consider one-on-one dialogue with Washington. But Mr. Salehi’s remarks on the official IRNA news agency did not specify if these talks would be restricted to Tehran’s nuclear program or wider issues.
The supreme leader has given no indication he would support direct talks with Washington, which broke ties with Iran shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Iran and the U.S. have been part of six-nation nuclear talks, which currently are stalled. The two nations also have held meetings over Afghanistan and Iraq.
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