TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on Thursday that Iran has “officially” responded to Donald Trump’s letter, IRNA reported.

Araghchi said the letter was handed over to the U.S. on Wednesday, March 26, through Oman.

“This official response includes a letter in which our views about the current situation and (response to) Mr. Trump’s letter is completely explained,” Iran’s chief diplomat pointed out.

The foreign minister reiterated that Tehran’s policy is still “not to negotiate directly” with the United States as long as “maximum pressure” and “military threats” against Iran are in place.

The chief diplomat added that “indirect negotiations” with the U.S. can continue like the past.

“Indirect negotiations took place during the governments of Mr. Rouhani and Mr. Raisi.”

Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic advisor to the UAE president, visited Tehran on March 13 and delivered a letter from Trump to Foreign Minister Araghchi addressed to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

During an interview with Fox Business on March 7, Trump announced he had written a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei expressing his administration’s willingness to negotiate with Iran and reach an agreement different from the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

However, in his interview, Trump made a military threat against Iran if an agreement is not reached.