Iran Says US Must Address 'Violations' Before Talks Can Resume

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that Iran and the United States are not currently engaged in negotiations, arguing that direct talks cannot resume until Washington addresses what Tehran describes as violations of its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

According to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency, Araghchi said exchanges between the two sides are continuing through intermediary countries but do not amount to formal negotiations. Tehran maintains that the United States must first stop what Iran considers breaches of the memorandum and provide compensation for those violations.

"At this moment, we are not engaged in any negotiations with the United States," Araghchi told journalists on the sidelines of a Foreign Ministry event in Tehran, adding that messages exchanged through intermediaries should not be characterized as negotiations.

The comments indicate that Tehran continues to view a return to formal dialogue as conditional rather than imminent. Araghchi did not identify the specific intermediaries involved, but said several countries were working to create conditions for renewed talks.

Iran says no negotiations are underway

Araghchi said the intermediary contacts were part of efforts to reopen a diplomatic channel, but maintained that Iran's position had not changed.

According to IRNA, he said the continuation of what Tehran regards as US violations of the Islamabad memorandum, coupled with Washington's failure to compensate for them, prevents a resumption of negotiations.

Iran has previously emphasized that commitments made during diplomatic engagements must be respected before further dialogue can proceed. Araghchi's latest remarks reinforce that position while leaving open the possibility of renewed talks if Tehran's conditions are addressed.

The distinction between message exchanges and negotiations is significant in Tehran's account of the current diplomatic contacts, particularly as intermediary countries continue efforts to establish a basis for direct engagement between Iran and the United States.

Mediation continues

While ruling out active negotiations for now, Araghchi acknowledged that diplomatic efforts by intermediary countries are continuing.

His comments suggest that Tehran is not rejecting mediation itself, but is maintaining conditions for any formal return to talks. The Iranian foreign minister's remarks therefore frame the current contacts as preliminary diplomatic exchanges rather than a resumed negotiating process.

Strait of Hormuz talks advance

Araghchi also addressed discussions with Oman over maritime routes through the Strait of Hormuz, saying technical work on alternative routes was nearing completion.

According to IRNA, he said the talks with Oman had made positive progress and that specialists were completing technical mapping for routes that would replace existing ones.

He cautioned, however, that reaching an agreement on alternative routes would not by itself mean that the Strait would reopen. Iran has conveyed additional conditions to the United States through intermediaries, he said, and those conditions remain relevant to any decision on reopening the strategic waterway.

The comments place the maritime discussions alongside the wider diplomatic contacts with Washington, while keeping the two processes distinct. Araghchi's remarks indicate that technical discussions with Oman are advancing even as Tehran continues to condition a broader reopening of the Strait and the resumption of US-Iran negotiations on issues it says remain unresolved.