File Photo: - Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. AFP
In a post on X, he said Iran's position is being misrepresented by US media.
"We are deeply grateful to Pakistan for its efforts and have never refused to go to Islamabad," he said.
On Friday, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) said that "regional mediation efforts to broker a ceasefire between the United States and Iran have reached a dead end."
"Iran has officially told the mediators it isn’t willing to meet US officials in Islamabad in the coming days and that US demands are unacceptable," it added.
Araghchi said that Iran is “deeply grateful” to Pakistan for its diplomatic initiative.
"What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting END to the illegal war that is imposed on us," he said.
Iran has insisted it will not accept a temporary truce and is instead insisting on guarantees that the war will not resume.
Pakistan immediately responded, welcoming Iran’s clarification. "Truly appreciate your clarification, my Dear Brother," Pakistani foreign minister Ishaq Dar wrote in a post on X as well.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf spoke to Al Jazeera, outlining Tehran’s view of the war and its vision for regional security.
"Maintaining the region’s security is in the interest of its countries, and sustainable security is our priority," he told the Qatari network.
He said that countries in the Middle East should protect their interests through bilateral and multilateral agreements among themselves, without intervention from external powers, adding that the root causes of insecurity should be addressed and that enduring stability should be built independently of both the United States and Israel.
Ghalibaf said Iran had prepared for the confrontation and demonstrated its ability to defend itself, framing the war as "Israel’s war" and emphasizing the broader instability and losses it has caused across the Middle East.
"Iran was forced to target American bases and interests in the region to preserve its presence," he insisted, warning that "escalating tensions against Iran will be met with a decisive and broad response against American interests in the region."
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