Iranian Spokesman Raps US ‘Lack of Good Faith’ in Talks
Iranian Spokesman Raps US ‘Lack of Good Faith’ in Talks
M.U.H
22/04/202635
TEHRAN: Spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Esmaeil Baqaei denounced the United States for inconsistency and bad faith in negotiations, saying Tehran has not yet decided whether to attend a new round of Pakistani-mediated talks in Islamabad.
In an interview with BBC, Baqaei said Iran entered the first round of talks with seriousness and goodwill, but lashed out at Washington for repeatedly shifting positions, maintaining its naval blockade, and taking hostile actions that undermine the diplomatic process.
He said Iran's delegation to the first round of Pakistani-mediated talks with the US had gone to Islamabad "with good faith and sense of seriousness, but you have a negotiating party that has shown its lack of seriousness, lack of good faith".
"They're changing their position frequently," he said.
He pointed to "flip flops, threats of war crimes," a reference to US President Donald Trump's stream of social media posts and interviews in recent days where he again threatened to "knock out every single power plant, and every single bridge" if Iran did not accept what he called the US's offer of a "very fair and reasonable deal".
Asked whether Iran had agreed to attend a new round of talks in Islamabad and then changed its decision, Baqaei said, "We never said we were going and then reneged our commitments - as is the habit of the United States."
Baqaei also underlined that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz – which he described as "an act of aggression" - was still in force.
Pointing to the US seizure of Iranian vessel Touska in the Sea of Oman, Baqaei said, "This is not the behavior of a country that is really serious about a diplomatic process."
He also refuted Trump's accusation that Iran was violating the truce by not opening the Strait of Hormuz.
Baqaei recalled what happened after Iran's foreign minister posted on social media on Friday that the maritime corridor would "completely open" on routes designated by Iran.
"President Trump immediately said 'thank you Iran', and then an hour later he said that he would keep his blockade," the spokesman said.
"We have made it clear that if we come to the conclusion that going to Islamabad is in our national interest, we would go there. But for the time being, the decision has not yet been made,” Baqaei told BBC.
