Iran rejects US preconditions for talks, stresses need for logical negotiations

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has reaffirmed Iran’s willingness to engage in dialogue, but emphasized that such negotiations will not be conducted "at any price."

Speaking at a meeting with the country's elites on February 20 evening, President Pezeshkian rejected any form of external pressure or illogical preconditions for talks, specifically criticizing the U.S. approach, Caliber.Az reports via Iranian media.

Pezeshkian highlighted that Iran is open to dialogue, but it will not succumb to force or coercion. “Iran is ready to hold talks, but not at any price,” he asserted, underscoring the importance of negotiations occurring under reasonable terms. The president also criticized the U.S. for setting conditions that Iran views as unjust, including demands for disarmament and actions that align with the interests of Israel.

In a parallel development, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei also addressed the issue of negotiations with the United States. On February 7, Khamenei rejected the idea of talks with the U.S. as a solution to Iran’s problems. While acknowledging that diplomacy with other nations has been a cornerstone of Iran’s foreign policy, Khamenei made clear that negotiations with the U.S. are an exception, citing the negative outcome of the 2010s Nuclear Agreement.

The Leader reflected on past experiences, particularly the nuclear negotiations, where Iran made significant concessions, only to see the U.S. fail to honour the agreement. “The Americans did not honour that very agreement,” Khamenei said, criticizing Washington’s lack of commitment to previously agreed terms.

Khamenei further disparaged the U.S. stance, particularly in its relations with Israel, describing the Israeli regime not as a government, but as a "criminal and land-usurping gang." He also expressed his belief that discussions with the U.S. would not lead to meaningful resolutions for Iran’s challenges.

By Vugar Khalilov