Iran
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei. Photo: Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Messages between Iran and the United States are being exchanged through the Pakistani mediator, with Tehran currently reviewing “the views of the American side,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.
“The exchange of messages continues between Iran and the US through the Pakistani mediator, and based on the same initial 14-point Iranian text, the exchange of messages has taken place over several rounds,” Esmaeil Baqaei told state television, adding, “We received the views of the American side, and they are under review.”
He further emphasized that the current focus is on ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, while also demanding the unfreezing of Iranian assets and a halt to US actions against Iranian shipping.
Baqaei’s remarks come a day after US Vice President JD Vance reiterated on Tuesday that “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” adding that Trump had instructed the American negotiating team to “aggressively negotiate with the Iranians.”
While noting that significant progress had been made and that “the Iranians want to make a deal,” Vance warned that “option B” is still on the table, referring to the possibility of restarting a military campaign “to achieve US objectives.”
For his part, Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that he was “an hour away from making the decision [to strike Iran] to go today,” warning that he could make the decision again within “two or three days” if a deal does not materialize.
A day earlier, the US president said he would “hold off” on attacking Iran at the request of three Gulf state leaders: the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani; the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud; and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump added, however, that he had instructed US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Daniel Caine, and the US military to remain prepared to carry out a “full-scale, large-scale assault on Iran at a moment’s notice” if “an acceptable deal is not reached.”
The US and Israel launched a large-scale aerial campaign against Iran in late February, striking thousands of targets across the country during six weeks of hostilities.
In response, Iran carried out thousands of drone and missile strikes across the Middle East, targeting alleged US assets - particularly in Gulf Arab states - as well as launching retaliatory attacks against Israel.
The warring sides agreed to a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire on April 8 to temporarily halt fighting and initiate negotiations. Although the first round of talks in Islamabad on April 11 ended without a final agreement, a second round has yet to take place, and a comprehensive resolution remains elusive.
“The exchange of messages continues between Iran and the US through the Pakistani mediator, and based on the same initial 14-point Iranian text, the exchange of messages has taken place over several rounds,” Esmaeil Baqaei told state television, adding, “We received the views of the American side, and they are under review.”
He further emphasized that the current focus is on ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, while also demanding the unfreezing of Iranian assets and a halt to US actions against Iranian shipping.
Baqaei’s remarks come a day after US Vice President JD Vance reiterated on Tuesday that “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” adding that Trump had instructed the American negotiating team to “aggressively negotiate with the Iranians.”
While noting that significant progress had been made and that “the Iranians want to make a deal,” Vance warned that “option B” is still on the table, referring to the possibility of restarting a military campaign “to achieve US objectives.”
For his part, Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that he was “an hour away from making the decision [to strike Iran] to go today,” warning that he could make the decision again within “two or three days” if a deal does not materialize.
A day earlier, the US president said he would “hold off” on attacking Iran at the request of three Gulf state leaders: the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani; the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud; and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump added, however, that he had instructed US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Daniel Caine, and the US military to remain prepared to carry out a “full-scale, large-scale assault on Iran at a moment’s notice” if “an acceptable deal is not reached.”
The US and Israel launched a large-scale aerial campaign against Iran in late February, striking thousands of targets across the country during six weeks of hostilities.
In response, Iran carried out thousands of drone and missile strikes across the Middle East, targeting alleged US assets - particularly in Gulf Arab states - as well as launching retaliatory attacks against Israel.
The warring sides agreed to a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire on April 8 to temporarily halt fighting and initiate negotiations. Although the first round of talks in Islamabad on April 11 ended without a final agreement, a second round has yet to take place, and a comprehensive resolution remains elusive.
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