U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Saturday that Tehran— which he has threatened with military action— is “talking” to Washington, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that war would not be in the interest of either side or the Middle East, amid intensive diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions.
اضافة اعلان
Meanwhile, Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, spoke of “progress” toward negotiations with the United States, as he hosted Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Tehran, following a meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In parallel with diplomatic efforts, Iranian Army Commander Amir Hatami warned the United States and Israel against launching any attack, stressing that Iranian forces are on high alert in response to U.S. military reinforcements deployed in the Gulf region.
The build-up has raised concerns among regional countries about the outbreak of a war that could further destabilize the region. For weeks, Trump has threatened military intervention against Iran over its crackdown on protests in the Islamic Republic, which has resulted in thousands of deaths.
Trump told Fox News that Tehran “is talking to us, and we’ll see if we can do something—otherwise we’ll see what happens,” reiterating that “we have a large fleet heading there.”
“They are negotiating,” he added, noting that Washington has not briefed its regional allies on any specific plans to strike Iran.
On Friday, Trump said he expected Iran to seek negotiations over its nuclear and missile programs rather than face U.S. military action.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday from Turkey that Tehran is ready for nuclear negotiations “if they are fair and equitable” and conducted “on an equal footing,” but stressed that Iran’s missile and defensive capabilities are not subject to negotiation.
In recent days, diplomatic contacts and visits between Iran and parties with ties to Washington have intensified.
Pezeshkian said in a phone call with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Saturday that Tehran “has never sought and will never seek war under any circumstances, and firmly believes that war is not in the interest of Iran, the United States, or the region,” according to the Iranian presidency.
Qatar’s foreign minister visited Iran on Saturday. Qatar has on several occasions served as a channel for exchanging messages between Washington and Tehran.
Doha said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani discussed with Larijani the “ongoing efforts to reduce escalation,” reaffirming Qatar’s support for all efforts aimed at de-escalation and peaceful solutions that enhance security and stability in the region.
Earlier on Saturday, Larijani said that “contrary to the artificial atmosphere created by the media, progress is being made toward shaping a framework for negotiations.”
AFP
