'No Justification To Deny Tehran Its Nuclear Rights': Iran President Hits Out As Trump Warns Of 'Nuke Blackmail'

US President Donald Trump has no justification to deprive Iran of its nuclear rights, the Iranian Student News Agency quoted Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian as saying on Sunday, as Washington and Tehran continue to face disagreements over nuclear issues. "Trump says Iran cannot make use of its nuclear rights, but doesn't say for what crime. Who is he to deprive a nation of its rights?" Pezeshkian was quoted as saying.

The statement came hours after Iran's top negotiator said recent talks with the US had made progress but gaps remained over nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz, while Trump cited "very good conversations" with Tehran despite warning against "blackmail" over the key shipping channel.

Iran-US ceasefire about to end

Neither side offered any specifics about the state of negotiations on Saturday, days before a fragile ceasefire in the US-Israeli war against Iran is set to expire.

"We have had progress but there is still a big distance between us," Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, told state media, referring to talks last weekend. "There are some issues on which we insist ... They also have red lines. But these issues could be just one or two." 

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Trump said the US was having "very good conversations" but gave no other details.Tehran reversed course on Saturday to reassert control over the strait, again closing the energy choke point and adding fresh uncertainty to the war, which the US and Israel launched on February 28.

Iran said it was responding to a continued US blockade of Iranian ports, calling it a violation of the ceasefire, while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran's navy was ready to inflict "new bitter defeats" on its enemies.

Blackmail

Trump called the move "blackmail" even as he praised the talks. On Friday, Iran had announced the temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz following a separate US-brokered 10-day ceasefire agreement on Thursday between Israel and Lebanon. Trump defended the US blockade and threatened "to start dropping bombs again" unless the countries reached a long-term deal before the ceasefire expires on Wednesday.

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Iran's Supreme National Security Council said Tehran's control over the strait included demanding the payment of costs related to security, safety and environmental protection services, state media said.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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