Iran Says No Date Set for Next US Talks, Calls for Framework of Understanding First
No date has been set for the next round of negotiations between Iran and the United States, Iran’s deputy foreign minister said on Saturday, adding that a framework of understanding must be agreed first.
U.S. President Donald Trump said there would probably be more direct talks this weekend, though some diplomats said that was unlikely given the logistics of convening in Islamabad, where the talks are expected to take place, the Reuters news agency reported.
“We are now focusing on finalising the framework of understanding between two sides. We don’t want to enter into any negotiation or meeting which is doomed to fail and which can be a pretext for another round of escalation,” Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters on the sidelines of a diplomacy forum in the southern Turkish province of Antalya.
“Until we agree the framework, we cannot set the date… There was significant progress made actually. But then the maximalist approach by the other side, trying to make Iran an exception from international law prevented us to reach an agreement,” he said, referring to U.S. demands over Iran’s nuclear programme.
“I have to be very crystal clear that Iran would not accept to be an exception from the international law. Anything that we are going to be committed will be within the international regulations and international law.”
At last weekend’s talks in Islamabad, the U.S. proposed a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activity, while Iran suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals.
Hormuz Sealed Again
Asked about reports that Iran again closed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday after its temporary reopening, Khatibzadeh said Iran had announced it would allow the safe passage of commercial vessels in line with the terms of the truce.
“The other side, the American side, tried to sabotage that by saying that it is open except for Iranians. So that was the reason we said that ‘if you are going to violate the ceasefire terms and conditions, if Americans are not going to honour their words, there will be repercussions for them’,” he said.
In parallel, at least two merchant vessels reported they were hit by gunfire as they attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, three maritime security and shipping sources said, shortly after Iran said it was once more tightening control of the waterway.
Some merchant vessels received a radio message from Iran’s Navy that the vital energy chokepoint was shut again and no ships were allowed to pass through, shipping sources said.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, moreover, warned in a message posted on his Telegram channel that Iran’s navy was ready to inflict “new bitter defeats” on its enemies.
