Iran says it no longer trusts US negotiations

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Al Jazeera that Tehran no longer trusts talks with the United States after previous rounds were followed by attacks and sanctions.

In the interview aired on Saturday, Pezeshkian said Qatar and Pakistan are relaying Iran’s messages to Washington and that the US must clarify its position on the June memorandum of understanding, which lapsed last month.

He and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited the United Nations gathering in the US this week and presented a proposal to end the US‑Israel war on Iran, reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days and lift the naval blockade, waive sanctions on Iranian oil and release about $12 billion of frozen assets.

Pezeshkian denied Iran was responsible for the Strait’s closure, describing it as a “natural response” to US actions, and argued the waterway would reopen if negotiations end the conflict.

The president also accused the US and Israel of being the aggressors, saying Iran has not attacked any country in 200 years and that regional security should be achieved through cooperation among Islamic nations rather than a “regional policeman”.

Source: Al Jazeera. Photo: Şahin Doğdu / Pexels.