Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei
Just two days before the end of the ceasefire deadline, Iran hardened its position on talks with the United States, saying that keeping the door open for dialogue “does not mean negotiation at any price.”
“The announcement, reported by the official Tasnim news agency, comes as US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that a US delegation would travel to Islamabad on Monday for new talks with Iran. He added: “We are offering a very fair and reasonable deal, and I hope they will accept it, because if they do not, the United States will destroy every power station and every bridge in Iran. No more, Mr. Gentleman!” He added.Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei said on Monday that “Tehran currently has no plans for a subsequent round of negotiations.” Despite this, Iran has not completely ruled out diplomacy. Ibrahim Azizi, Chairman of the National Security Committee of the Iranian Parliament, said in an interview with Al Jazeera, as reported by the Iranian News Agency, that dealing with Washington will depend strictly on national priorities. He stated that “Iran acts on the basis of national interests” and remains ready to do whatever is necessary “to secure the country’s interests and security.”
Azizi stressed that the continuation of the dialogue does not come without limits, saying that this “does not mean negotiation at any price.” He stressed that Iran has set red lines that “must be observed,” and that sending a delegation to Islamabad will depend on receiving “constructive feedback” and a “positive signal” from the United States.Describing Tehran’s approach, Azizi said diplomacy is closely linked to its military posture.
He said, “We see the current negotiations as a continuation of the battlefield, and we see in this nothing but the battlefield.” He added that the talks will not be meaningful “unless they result in achievements that support those achieved on the battlefield,” warning that this will not be the case “if the Americans intend to turn this into an arena of excessive demands, based on their bullying approach.”
“He also pointed out the basic conditions for any progress, noting that “the Lebanon issue was very important to us” and that “releasing frozen assets” remains a priority.
Azizi warned that any move “that conflicts with the interests of the Resistance Front” would be tantamount to a rejection of Iranian conditions and would have consequences.Ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran, held in Islamabad on April 11, ended without reaching any agreement. The discussions, mediated by Pakistan, lasted about 21 hours but failed to achieve a breakthrough. The dispute centered around the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian nuclear program.Iranian state media said the US naval blockade of Iranian ports remains a central sticking point, which Tehran says amounts to collective punishment.