Iran Denies Negotiations With US Taking Place
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has said that there are currently no negotiations under way between Iran and the United States.
In his weekly meeting with reporters on August 3, Baghaei said that what is currently under way are bilateral negotiations between Iran and Oman.
His remarks come as US President Donald Trump announced that talks with Iran will resume on August 3.
In response to Trump's remarks, Baghaei said that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will be traveling to Najaf to take part in the Shia Muslim pilgrimage of Arbaeen. "and the rest of the negotiating team is in Iran."
A senior Iranian source also told Reuters that no talks were planned and that Araqchi would be unavailable at least until the end of the week.
Hassan Qashqavi, the spokesperson for the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of Iran's parliament, said that there is currently "no discussion" with the United States.
In an interview published by the Iran's state-run ISNA news agency, Qashqavi said that the Iranian government is not negotiating with Washington, especially on the nuclear issue.
Qashqavi said that the Islamic republic's current priority is "the lifting of primary and secondary sanctions in [the US] Congress and the return of Iran's frozen assets."
US Signs Deal To Boost Production Of Patriot, THAAD Systems
The United States has signed a deal with two American defense companies to boost the production of Patriot and THAAD air defense missiles.
In a statement on August 3, the Pentagon said the deal with Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman would allow the production of Patriots to triple and THAAD systems to quadruple.
The five-month war against Iran has depleted US stockpiles of Patriot and THAAD interceptors, which are considered Washington’s most advanced air defense systems.
During the war, Iran has fired thousands of ballistic missiles and combat drones at US military installations across the Middle East as well as US allies in the Persian Gulf.
In an analysis published on July 27, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington-based think tank, said US stocks of Patriot and THAAD air defense missiles have been “diminished” by the conflict with Iran.
Before the war began in late February, the United States had over 2,300 Patriot and more than 450 THAAD interceptors. CSIS estimated that those figures have been halved or more.
"The air defense campaign has been largely successful with high -- though not perfect -- interception rates," but "this has required extensive use of interceptors," CSIS said.