Iran-US ceasefire: ‘No intention of negotiating at any cost’: Iran rules out second round of US talks as ceasefire deadline approaches
Just two days before the end of the ceasefire, Iran took a tough stance on negotiations with the United States, saying that keeping the door open to dialogue “does not mean negotiating at all costs.”“The news came as US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that a US delegation would travel to Islamabad on Monday for new talks with Iran, state-run Tasnim news agency reported. “We are offering a very fair and reasonable deal and I hope they accept it because if they don’t, the United States will destroy every power plant and every bridge in Iran. No more Mr. Nice Guy!” he added.“Tehran currently has no plans for the next round of negotiations,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Bakaj said on Monday. Still, Iran has not completely ruled out diplomacy. According to ANI, Ibrahim Aziz, chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Committee, said in an interview with Al Jazeera that engagement with Washington will strictly depend on national priorities. He said that “Iran’s actions are based on national interests” and that it is ready to take all necessary measures to “ensure national interests and security.”Aziz stressed that continued dialogue was not without limits, saying it “does not mean negotiations at all costs”. He emphasized that Iran has drawn red lines that “must be observed” and that sending a delegation to Islamabad will depend on receiving “constructive feedback” and “positive signals” from the United States.Describing Tehran’s approach, Aziz said diplomacy was closely linked to its military posture. “We see the current negotiations as a continuation of the battlefield, and we see nothing other than the battlefield,” he said. He added that the negotiations would only be meaningful if “achievements are achieved that sustain battlefield gains,” warning that “that will not be the case if the Americans intend to turn this into an area of ​​excessive demands based on their bullying behavior.”“He also identified key conditions for progress, noting that “the Lebanese issue is very important to us” and that “the release of frozen assets” remains a priority. Aziz warned that any move “against the interests of the Resistance Front” would mean rejecting Iran’s conditions and would have consequences.On April 11, the United States and Iran held ceasefire negotiations in Islamabad, but no agreement was reached. Discussion by Pakistanwhich lasted about 21 hours but failed to achieve a breakthrough. The standoff centers on differences over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.Iranian state media said the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports remained a core sticking point, with Tehran viewing it as amounting to collective punishment.
