Iran denied on Tuesday requesting talks with the US, after President Donald Trump claimed Tehran sought negotiations following last month’s war with Israel. “No request for a meeting has been made on our side to the American side,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei stated.
Trump announced Monday that Iran wanted to talk with the United States. “We have scheduled Iran talks. They want to talk,” Trump told reporters at the White House. He met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and noted Iran’s changed stance.
Iran’s Stance on Negotiations
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated Tehran’s position rejecting talks, stating, “Although Iran received messages indicating that the US may be ready to return to negotiations, how can we trust further engagement?”
On 13 June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign on Iran. This campaign targeted military and nuclear sites, residential areas, and killed senior military commanders and nuclear scientists. The attacks began days before a planned meeting between Tehran and Washington aimed at reviving nuclear negotiations, which have since stalled.
The US, in talks with Iran since 12 April, joined Israel in carrying out strikes on 22 June, targeting Iranian nuclear sites at Fordo, Isfahan, and Natanz. “After agreeing to new negotiations in good faith, we have seen our good will reciprocated with an attack,” Araghchi stated.
Domestic Criticism and Support
On Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian faced domestic criticism for supporting renewed talks with the US, as critics accused him of being “too soft” after last month’s attacks. The backlash followed an interview with US media personality Tucker Carlson, where Pezeshkian stated that Iran had “no problem” resuming talks if they could rebuild trust.
The hardline Kayhan newspaper questioned Pezeshkian’s stance, stating “Have you forgotten that these same Americans, together with the Zionists, used the negotiations to buy time and prepare for the attack?” Moreover, the conservative Javan daily also criticized Pezeshkian, calling his remarks “a little too soft.”
In contrast, the reformist Ham Mihan newspaper praised Pezeshkian’s approach. “This interview should have been conducted a long time ago,” it wrote, noting the absence of Iranian officials from international media.
Iranian authorities reported that Israeli strikes killed at least 1,060 people, while Israel faced retaliatory drone and missile fire, resulting in at least 28 deaths. Though, a ceasefire between Iran and Israel has been in place since 24 June.
