Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Saturday that Iran is willing to engage in talks with the US, but on the basis of equality – firmly rejecting Washington’s call for direct negotiations under duress and threats.
Iranian foreign minister’s statement was made after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was prepared to go to war with Iran if diplomacy over the country’s nuclear program fails. Although Trump advocates for direct talks, Pezeshkian objected to the terrible policy of using a belligerent stance. “If you seek talks then what’s the purpose of threatening?” he said denouncing the U.S. for what he called global humiliation resultant from recent international and economic policies.
Iran has reaffirmed that it is willing for dialogue but will not start negotiations under duress, it said. The Islamic Republic of Iran is willing to have dialogue on a footing based on equality, the president said in a statement.
On the military side, tensions spiked after the chief of the IRGC, Hossein Salami, stated Iran was prepared for war, but Washington would start the fight. We will not start the war, but we are ready, Salami said.
The context , is Trump’s 2018 pull-out from the 2015 nuclear bargain which had curbs Iran’s nuclear programs in exchange of sanctions relief. Since that time, Iran has enlarged its nuclear program.
A senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader told this week that Iran may abandon all its nuclear policy if struck.
As time runs out, the way to peace lies in diplomacy unclouded by ultimatums.
