Willing to negotiate with US but remains wary: Iranian President

Tehran, Aug 29 (IANS) Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Iran will negotiate with the United States, but remains wary of Washington, stressing that Tehran will honour its commitments only if the other side does the same.

Pezeshkian made the remarks in a televised interview broadcast on Friday night (local time), responding to questions about whether ongoing diplomatic efforts could revive the peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Iran and the United States in June and restore the Iranian nation’s rights.

“We can move forward” if Iran’s actions are met with reciprocal and proportional actions from the other side, the Iranian president said, acknowledging that the two sides might not achieve all their objectives.

Under the MoU, the United States was expected to lift a naval blockade and oil and petrochemical sanctions against Iran and release Iranian frozen assets.

Pezeshkian said Iran had exported nearly 90 million barrels of oil during the period when the agreement was being implemented, reports Xinhua news agency.

“The main issue is that we must be committed to the MoU we have written. When we sit down at the negotiating table, we can talk to them,” he said.

On June 18, the United States and Iran signed the deal on ending the war in the region on all fronts, including Lebanon. Under the MoU, they were scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days, which ended on Aug. 17, to reach a final agreement.

The talks’ fate remains unclear following the escalation between the two countries last month.

Pezeshkian’s comments came as Iran continues to grapple with economic pressures at home.

In a separate message Friday marking Government Week, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei called for “serious” attention to economic and livelihood challenges, including inflation, unemployment and the management of prices and markets.

Iran needs stronger economic growth, increased investment and a production boost, Khamenei said, describing greater reliance on domestic production as key to addressing the country’s economic difficulties.

Where domestic production cannot meet demand, imports should be used “properly and wisely,” he said.

Khamenei also called for maintaining national unity and protecting social cohesion, warning against using statements that lead to hopelessness and weaken national and public motivation.

The remarks came amid intensified US economic pressure on Iran. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump announced “the most crushing economic operation ever taken” against any country providing a lifeline to Iran.

“This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale,” Trump said in a social media post, calling the move “an ECONOMIC D-DAY.”

–IANS

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