Tehran will not negotiate under threat or force: Iranian envoy

Washington: Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam said on Tuesday that negotiations cannot take place under threat or coercion, underscoring Tehran’s stance amid ongoing diplomatic efforts involving the United States.

In a post on X, the envoy said, “a single country in possession of a large civilisation will not negotiate under threat and force,” saying the position is a substantial principle.

The remarks come at a time when a ceasefire that took effect on April 8 after 40 days of fighting remains fragile. Pakistan has mediated indirect talks between Tehran and Washington, hosting a first round in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, but Iran has not confirmed participation in another round, reports Xinhua news agency.

Earlier in the day, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also said that Tehran will not accept negotiations under the “shadow of threats”.

Taking to X, Ghalibaf said, “Trump, by imposing a siege and violating the ceasefire, seeks to turn this negotiating table — in his own imagination — into a table of surrender or to justify renewed warmongering.”

“We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield,” he added.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that US “provocative actions” and ceasefire violations are major obstacles to continuing peace negotiations between the two countries.

During separate phone calls with his Pakistani and Russian counterparts, Araghchi condemned US actions against Iranian commercial shipping, including the reported seizure of the container vessel Touska and its crew, and cited “contradictory positions and rhetoric of threat” from Washington, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran’s attendance depends on Washington meeting preconditions. It cited a US naval blockade and “excessive demands” as key obstacles.

Araghchi said Iran would decide whether to continue diplomacy based on “all aspects of the issue” and US behaviour, adding that Tehran would take steps to protect its interests and national security.

IANS