Iran rejected a second round of peace talks negotiations with the U.S., according to IRNA, the country’s state-owned news agency, contradicting President Donald Trump’s announcement that another round of negotiations would begin in Pakistan on Monday.
Key Facts
- In a statement published on X, IRNA reported the decision was made due to the U.S.’s “excessive demands” and “unrealistic expectations,” and said it considers the American blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to be a violation of the ceasefire set to expire on Wednesday.
- Earlier on Sunday, Reuters reported Iran had made “no decision” about participating in the peace talks, citing a report from the country’s Tasnim news agency.
- Trump previously announced a new round of peace talks in a Truth Social post on Sunday morning, threatening again to target Iran’s infrastructure if it refuses to accept a peace deal.
- The president conversely blamed Iran for violating the ceasefire, after Iranian forces fired on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.
- Trump did not immediately confirm in his post whether Iran had agreed to participate in the talks in Islamabad, and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.
- The U.S. negotiators expected to attend the talks include Vice President JD Vance, CNN reported citing the White House.
What Has Pakistan Said?
In a 2:22 p.m. EDT statement on X, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he had a “warm and constructive conversation” with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian about the “evolving regional situation,” but made no mention about the peace talksTrump announced. The call between Sharif and Pezeshkian lasted about 45 minutes, the Associated Press reported, and Pakistan has still begun ramping up security in its capital of Islamabad despite the lack of a commitment from the Iranian side. In the past, Pakistan has positioned itself as the primary interlocutor between Iran and the U.S., and hosted negotiators from both countries in Islamabad during the first round of peace talks.
This article was originally published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.
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