Exclusive: Source says what US wants in talks with Iran is same Israeli plan

An informed political source has told the Press TV correspondent that the US is "politically" following the same goal as Israel which is threatening the Islamic Republic with military strikes over its nuclear program.   

“What the Americans want is the same Israeli plan," the source told Press TV on Thursday. "Only instead of a military attack, [the Americans] politically want Iran to give up its nuclear independence of its own accord," the source added.

Iran and the US will hold a fifth round of nuclear talks on Friday, amid deep disagreement over uranium enrichment and reports that Israel could be preparing strikes on the Islamic Republic.

“In return for Iran's flexibility and cooperation”, the source said, the Americans “have increased their demands without presenting a specific plan or promise for lifting sanctions”.

“This is exactly the assessment which existed from the beginning — that the negotiations are a cognitive trap set by the Trump administration, with a division of work between the US and the Zionist regime,” the source further said.

Iran and the US have already held four rounds of indirect negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, mediated by Oman, amid repeated shifts in Washington’s stance, which has prompted Iranian officials to criticize the “contradictory” statements made by US officials.

The US also keeps imposing fresh sanctions targeting Iran's oil industry and nuclear program, despite the ongoing talks.

Washington has time and again insisted on demanding “complete cessation” of Iran's peaceful uranium enrichment activities, seeking to label any level of enrichment as a “red line.”

This is while Tehran has firmly rejected the idea, stating that it would continue its enrichment program regardless of the outcome of the talks.

On Tuesday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei also called it “utterly wrong” for the US to insist on Iran’s completely stopping its peaceful uranium enrichment activities, advising the American side to avoid “idle talk” regarding the courses of action that it thinks the Islamic Republic should or should not take.

He voiced skepticism concerning the outcome of Iran’s underway indirect talks with the US, saying that the talks are unlikely to yield results.

Echoing the Leader’s position, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that Iran would not negotiate over its uranium enrichment program and would not forego this right under any circumstances.

On Thursday, Iran’s top diplomat also called on the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to urgently condemn leaked plans by “rogue” Israel to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities.

His remarks on Thursday came in response to a CNN exclusive report on Tuesday that Israel is preparing for a potential military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate to forcefully respond to any transgression and will stop at nothing to protect its interests and people,” Araghchi warned on X.

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