Ease economic pressures, we'll talk : Iran to US

Iran will consider negotiating with the US if it eases economic pressure on the Iranian people. In a press briefing, Spokesman for the country's Foreign Ministry Abbas Mousavi said that Iran is ready to further its nuclear programme if the remaining parties to the nuclear deal fail to take special and concrete actions.

Tehran: After the initial defiance, Iran seems to be climbing down a little. It now says that the country is willing to have talks with the US if the latter changes its attitude.

Iran also said that the first thing that is required to pave the way for any talk is to ease the economic pressures on Iran which has resulted in pain and sufferings of its people.

"We will think about the rhetoric and words when they are accompanied with actions and change of attitude. The best example would be a decrease in pain and suffering of the Iranian people caused by the illegal and targeted pressure by the US government against the Iranian nation," said Abbas Mousavi, spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry.

Year-long US sanctions have started taking a heavy toll on Iranian people with essential items being increasingly scarce. To show its anger Iran recently withdrew partially from the nuclear deal. It now says it can go even further if the situation does not improve.

"If we see that special and concrete actions by the remaining members of the nuclear deal are not being taken, and at the same time economic terrorism against the Islamic Republic of Iran is continuing, we will powerfully take the second step (in the nuclear programme)", said Abbas Mousavi.

To mount more pressure on Iran the US has sent an aircraft carrier near Iran and flown B2 bombers in a nearby airbase.