Iran says will consider direct US talks for 'good' nuclear deal

Iran said Monday it will consider direct talks with the US during ongoing negotiations in Vienna, if that is required for a "good agreement" to salvage a 2015 nuclear accord.

The deal -- agreed by Iran, the US, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany -- offered Tehran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme.

"Iran is not currently talking with the US directly", Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in televised remarks.

"But, if during the negotiation process we get to a point that reaching a good agreement with solid guarantees requires a level of talks with the US, we will not ignore that in our work schedule," he added.

"Our direct talks are with P4+1," he said, referring to Germany and permanent Security Council powers France, China, Britain and Russia.

"And our indirect negotiations with the US currently are... via (EU diplomat Enrique) Mora and one or two other countries present at Vienna talks," he added.

Iran had previously stated that the US must "change course" and return to the nuclear deal, prior to any direct talks between the two arch-foes in Vienna.

"Meanwhile, the US side is sending messages in different ways that it seeks a level of direct talks with Iran," Amir-Abdollahian added during a conference at the foreign ministry in Tehran.

The negotiations, which seek to bring Washington back to the accord and ensure Iran returns to its commitments under the deal, started in April, and resumed in late November.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said earlier this month that negotiating with the 'enemy' does not mean surrendering.

"The bullying of the enemy should not be tolerated," he said, referring to the US. 

But "negotiating with the enemy some time for example is another thing -- us interacting with them is another thing," Ayatollah Khamenei added in a televised speech.