Iran on Sunday denied that President Masoud Pezeshkian’s letter to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was aimed at securing Saudi mediation with Washington, calling it a standard bilateral note tied to Hajj coordination.
“The issue of a mediator is not on the table,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said at a weekly briefing.
“This letter was simply a routine correspondence exchanged within the framework of Iran-Saudi discussions on organizing the Hajj. It contains the Islamic Republic of Iran’s message of appreciation to Saudi Arabia for the services it provided during last year's Hajj.”
Reuters reported on Thursday, citing two sources familiar with the exchange, that Pezeshkian had urged the crown prince to help persuade US President Donald Trump to revive nuclear talks.
Pezeshkian, the outlet reported, wrote that Iran “does not seek confrontation,” wants deeper regional cooperation, and remains ready for nuclear diplomacy if its rights are guaranteed.
Saudi state news agency SPA said that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a letter from Pezeshkian, a day before the crown prince traveled to the United States for talks with Trump.
The Reuters report came after Trump said last week that he seeks a deal with Iran and believes Tehran does too, speaking alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who said he would try to help Tehran and Washington reach a deal.
Talks between Iran and the United States stalled after the 12-day war and the US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, a period during which the UN snapback mechanism of the 2015 nuclear deal was also triggered reimposing sanctions on Tehran.
Tehran challenges IAEA stance
Baghaei also addressed Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), saying Iran’s membership eliminates any need for mediation efforts.
“We are a member of the IAEA and we do not need a mediator,” he said.
The United States and Israel, Baghaei added, must answer for actions he said disrupted cooperation, adding the agency “should not constantly complain” about Iran’s posture.
He urged the IAEA leadership to uphold its professional obligations, saying impediments to cooperation were created by Israel, the United States and the three European parties to the now-defunct nuclear deal.
“Regarding the problems in our cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, it is Israel and the United States – who attacked us – that must be held accountable, and the agency should stop constantly complaining about our lack of cooperation.”
'Cairo accord is dead'
Baghaei said the Cairo agreement reached in September between Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi “has no practical applicability and lacks validity” following last week’s Board of Governors vote adopting a resolution advanced by the United States, France, Britain, and Germany.
Araghchi said after the vote that “the Cairo agreement had been killed.”
On Iran’s next steps, Baghaei said decisions on the nuclear file are made “at the macro level” and details will be shared once decisions are reached.
The IAEA said last week that it needs more Iranian cooperation to restore full inspections at sites hit in June’s strikes, warning that verification of enriched uranium stocks is “long overdue.”
