Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian yesterday defended a memorandum of understanding as the best way for the country to move beyond what he described as a situation of “neither war nor peace” with the US.
“There is not a single provision in this agreement that amounts to capitulation,” Pezeshkian said in a speech published by the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency. “The supreme leader sets the policies, and we will follow that path.”
The memorandum of understanding that US President Donald Trump signed in June set a 60-day deadline for ending the war with Iran and reaching an accord on its nuclear program. That period ended last week, but no signs of compromise have emerged, especially on the crucial issue of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, vital to global shipping.
Photo: AP
Pezeshkian also linked the agreement to Iran’s economic prospects, saying the country could not attract investment in this stalled phase.
Nearly six months into the war with the US and Israel, Iran’s economy is suffering under sanctions and a naval blockade.
Meanwhile, the new leader of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council warned Tehran’s neighbors against joining the new US effort to hurt Iran’s economy.
“If [Trump] wants to do something, we will retaliate in a seismic manner,” Mohsen Rezaei said in an interview with state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting that aired on Saturday.
Rezaei was named this month as part of senior appointments widely seen as hardening Tehran’s political and military stance. His interview is his most extensive public statement since then.
Rezaei said Iran would target oil-shipping routes out of the Persian Gulf — alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz — if neighbors join what he described as the economic war against Iran.
Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir is today leading an official delegation traveling to Tehran, Iranian state television reported, citing Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmail Baghaei.
Two regional officials said the visit was part of Islamabad’s ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions between the US and Iran, and urge both countries to return to the negotiating table.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
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