Iran says US demands ‘unreasonable’ as talks stall
Iran has said that it remains in indirect contact with the United States through Pakistan, but no date has been agreed for a new round of talks as tensions continue to simmer during a fragile ceasefire.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a weekly press briefing that communication between Tehran and Washington had not stopped, though the two sides were still far apart.
He said the US position remained “unreasonable and unrealistic”, adding that Iran had already conveyed its own position in response.
According to Baqaei, the issues under discussion are not new and Washington is already aware of Tehran’s stance from earlier negotiations, which were largely centred on the nuclear file.
He also ruled out any talks conducted on what he described as one-sided terms. “Iran will not accept negotiations in which one side seeks to impose conditions on the other,” he said.
Baqaei also dismissed reports suggesting that an extension of the ceasefire had already been agreed, saying such claims had not been confirmed and that exchanges were still being handled through Pakistani mediation.
He criticised the US naval blockade as provocative and said it was contrary to the principles of international law, warning that it could undermine the truce. The comments come as a two-week ceasefire, which began on April 8, remains in effect and is due to end on April 22.
Pakistan, which hosted the first round of talks in Islamabad, has remained a key intermediary between the two sides and is one of the few actors still trusted by both Washington and Tehran to pass messages.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
