Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Araqchi said the talks held on February 6 in Muscat were limited exclusively to the nuclear issue, stressing that Iran has made it clear it would negotiate only on that subject.

He added that if the talks were to continue, they would proceed in the same framework. Araqchi noted that the results of the negotiations are currently being assessed and that both sides are generally inclined toward continuing the process, while awaiting final decisions in Tehran and Washington.

Commenting on similarities between the current talks and the previous five rounds, as well as proposed initiatives, Araqchi said the only resemblance is in their indirect format. He added that the negotiations were conducted through the mediation of Oman’s foreign minister and focused solely on the nuclear issue.

The foreign minister said Iran has learned many lessons from past negotiations over the past year and is now engaging in talks with open eyes, taking into account everything that had previously occurred.

He described the first session as exploratory, aimed at gauging how much trust could be placed in the other side, noting that the US side has also claimed it is assessing Iran’s seriousness. He said if the overall assessment concludes that seriousness exists, the negotiations would continue. Araqchi added that the continuation of certain sanctions and military movements affect perceptions of seriousness, stressing that Iran is evaluating all signals.

Addressing US positions on enrichment, Araqchi said zero enrichment is absolutely unacceptable to Iran, adding that discussions should instead focus on ensuring the continuation of enrichment while building confidence that Iran’s enrichment activities would remain peaceful.

On reports of a meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and differences between the current talks and previous ones, Araqchi said no direct meeting has taken place, noting that there has only been a brief interaction within the bounds of diplomatic courtesy, limited to a handshake. He added that such gestures had also occurred in the past and were routine.

Regarding the timing and venue of the next round, Araqchi said the time and place would be determined in further consultations, adding that the location might change but the indirect format would remain.

Commenting on reports about the presence of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) commander and speculation about missile and regional issues, Araqchi said missile and regional matters were not and would not be on the agenda of the negotiations, which were focused solely on the nuclear issue.

He added that the presence of the CENTCOM commander did not affect the substance of the talks, noting that Iran had been told the visit was for an inspection of a US naval vessel. Araqchi said a request had been made on the grounds of diplomatic courtesy, which Iran had rejected, stressing that the presence of a military figure in a diplomatic process had no meaning.