Iranian Foreign Ministry Esmaeil Baqaei. Photo courtesy of Tasnim News Agency.
According to remarks carried by Tasnim News Agency, Baqaei noted that Iran does not consider the US 15-point proposals for a diplomatic solution to the conflict “credible,” citing what he described as “previous betrayals during negotiations.”
Baqaei added that Tehran has held no direct negotiations with the United States, rejecting claims that Iran had agreed to proposals from Washington as “baseless.”
He said Tehran understands that whenever the US speaks of diplomacy, it should raise suspicions.
“Iran’s position is clear: as the aggression continues, Iran’s efforts remain focused on defending itself,” he stated.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has never sought and does not seek nuclear weapons,” Baqaei said. “Regarding membership in this treaty, regardless of our clear position on the prohibition of all weapons of mass destruction, this is genuinely a debate taking place in public opinion and at the parliamentary level.”
Islamabad talks
Baqaei said the discussions taking place in Islamabad were held under a framework set by Pakistan and that Iran was not involved.
While welcoming regional efforts to end the war, he, nonetheless, stressed that “the aggressor must be identified and that Iran should not be expected to exercise restraint unilaterally.”
“Tehran was responding to an attack rather than initiating it,” added Baqaei.
Over the weekend, Pakistan, acting as a mediator between Washington and Tehran, hosted foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt in Islamabad for talks on the crisis.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar noted that the visiting diplomats discussed ways to “bring an early and permanent end to the war.”
He said Iran and the United States had expressed “confidence in Pakistan to facilitate the talks” and that he had spoken with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and other foreign ministers who also supported the idea.
Still, Speaker of Iran's Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has accused Washington of using diplomacy as a cover as it amasses troops in the Middle East.
Despite diplomatic outreach, the United States has been deploying additional military assets to the region, including an amphibious assault ship carrying 3,500 Marines, Ghalibaf said.
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