Iran is not currently negotiating with the United States, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said at a press conference on Monday.
Baghaei said that the United States initially believed it could destroy Iran and force its surrender in the early stages of a war, but now, five months later, it is deeply mired in a quagmire of its own making.
Baghaei stressed that Iran will prioritize the protection of its national interests and will not allow the United States to decide the timing of war and peace regardless of the past or the future.
When asked whether Iran had requested negotiations with the United States, Baghaei denied the claim, stating that the United States was the party violating the memorandum of understanding.
He added that mediators might convey messages from U.S. to Iran, but currently, Iran has not engaged in any direct negotiations with the United States.
"No agreement can be unilaterally implemented; this is natural. Therefore, Iran has ceased fulfilling its commitments. When the time becomes right, we will discuss future development directions. But one thing is certain: Iran will never compromise on its national interests and security principles," he said.
Baghaei said that several rounds of talks between Iran and Oman were bilateral talks primarily focused on the management of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
He said the talks aim to establish mechanisms to ensure the safety of navigation in the strait.
The spokesman emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed due to perceived acts of aggression by the U.S. side.
"Regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, I want to emphasize that the situation has not changed -- the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. This is due to the aggressive actions of the United States and the insecurity it has brought to the region," he said.
Noting that the United States had violated numerous international norms and laws through its words and actions over the past year or two, Baghaei said as long as the U.S. continues its behavior, Iran cannot expect a reasonable negotiation process.
He said that although the situation in the region had been relatively calm in the past few days, it cannot be called a ceasefire.
The spokesman warned that Iranian armed forces are closely monitoring the situation, and any inappropriate actions by the U.S. military will be met with an immediate and resolute response from Iran.
Iran is not negotiating with US: FM spokesman
