Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has drawn a hard line on renewed diplomacy with Washington, with its secretary declaring Tuesday that Tehran will not return to the negotiating table until its demands are satisfied.
Mohsen Rezaei made the statement on X, pushing back on comments U.S. President Donald Trump made a day earlier suggesting Iran was eager to strike a deal. Writing on Truth Social, Trump had claimed that “the failing Nation of Iran wants to make a deal, quickly and badly,” and signaled that Washington was open to resuming talks.
Rezaei rejected that framing, telling Iranians not to be swayed by what he characterized as Trump’s inconsistent messaging — vacillating between refusing negotiations outright and expressing readiness to talk. “The stakes around oil and the straits have changed,” he wrote. “Damage control won’t stop what’s coming.”
He closed with an unambiguous warning: “No talks until Iran’s conditions are met. Period!”
The exchange underscores the fragile and uncertain state of U.S.-Iran diplomacy months after the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18 aimed at de-escalating regional tensions, including in Lebanon. That agreement called for formal negotiations to conclude within 60 days, by August 17, but the process has since stalled amid a string of escalations between Washington and Tehran, leaving the future of talks in doubt.
Want me to also produce this as a downloadable Word doc, or adjust the tone (more wire-service style vs. feature style)?
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