TEHRAN - Abdolreza Faraji-Rad, Iran’s former ambassador to Norway, has said that the United States seeks to exert pressure on Iran to make the country hold new talks with Washington.

“The Trump administration puts pressure on Iran and seeks to revive sanctions to make the country [Iran] hold new talks. So, the objective behind the pressure is negotiations between Tehran and Washington,” he told IRNA in an interview published on Thursday.

Faraji-Rad said that the U.S. seeks to extend arms embargo on Iran and lay the groundwork for revival of the UN sanctions to put pressure on the country.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft have said that extending a permanent arms embargo against Iran is now a top priority for Washington.

Russia and China have already signaled they are against reimposing an arms embargo on Iran. If they block the U.S.-drafted resolution, then Washington will have to follow through on its sanctions snapback threat.

‘Europe, U.S. are getting close against Iran’

Faraji-Rad also said that it seems the U.S. and European countries are getting close against Iran.

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors approved a resolution against Iran on Friday. The resolution, drafted by Britain, Germany and France, says Iran should give access to the IAEA to visit two sites which they allege nuclear activity may be done.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday reacted to the draft resolution, saying that Tehran has “nothing to hide”.

NA/PA