Iran Sets 'Red Lines' for U.S. Talks

By Kamaran Aziz

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – A top advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader has declared that Tehran is not opposed to negotiations with the United States, but only if they are held without preconditions and preserve the Islamic Republic’s “red lines,” specifically identifying the country's uranium enrichment program as non-negotiable.

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Ali Akbar Velayati, the Advisor to the Supreme Leader on International Affairs, made the comments on Monday, during a meeting in Tehran with Pakistan's Interior Minister, Syed Mohsin Naqvi.

“We are not opposed to negotiations that are without preconditions and that preserve the red lines of the Islamic Republic,” Velayati stated, as reported by IRNA. “They say that Iran must cease enrichment, whereas this issue is one of our red lines, and if negotiations are to be conditional on halting enrichment, such talks will certainly not take place.”

Velayati went on to describe the U.S. President's remarks as “contradictory and untrustworthy,” IRNA reported.

The discussion took place in the context of a broader meeting focused on what Velayati called the "deep, deep-rooted, and brotherly" relations between Iran and Pakistan. During the meeting, the Pakistani Interior Minister delivered a message from Pakistan’s Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff intended for Iran’s Supreme Leader.

According to IRNA, both sides expressed satisfaction with the growing trend of bilateral relations and emphasized broader cooperation.

The report noted that regional developments were a key topic.

Velayati stressed the need for consultation and unity among Islamic countries against what he termed the "crimes and aggressive actions of the Zionist regime with U.S. support against Iran," as well as the "regime's crimes in Gaza." In turn, the Pakistani Interior Minister condemned the attacks against Iran and declared his support for Iran's positions.

Velayati also used the meeting to criticize the government of Azerbaijan.

“You have close relations with Azerbaijan, but at the same time, it must be noted that the government of Azerbaijan is taking actions that are contrary to the views of the Islamic world,” he said, accusing Baku of “mediating between al-Julani and the Zionist regime, as well as exporting oil to Israel.”

Cooperation for the Arbaeen pilgrimage was also discussed, with both sides welcoming trilateral efforts between Iran, Pakistan, and Iraq to facilitate the event.

IRNA also reported that Velayati referenced the history of the Indian people’s struggle against British colonialism and a book authored on the subject by the Supreme Leader.

The Pakistani Interior Minister arrived in Tehran on Sunday, where he was welcomed by his Iranian counterpart. His official visit is set to cover border and security issues, as well as facilitating pilgrimage trips from Pakistan to Iran.