DUBAI: Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has reiterated the importance of pursuing all “rational and diplomatic” avenues to ease tensions with the United States, while simultaneously warning that distrust of Washington remains an “undeniable necessity,” according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
His remarks came on Monday amid heightened regional diplomatic activity, as a two-week ceasefire arrangement between Iran and the United States is due to expire on Wednesday. The development has added urgency to ongoing backchannel and planned negotiations involving both sides.
With the US-Iran ceasefire set to expire on April 22, diplomatic momentum has taken on renewed urgency, but also cautious optimism. The initial round of talks in Islamabad succeeded in opening rare direct channels between the two sides and keeping dialogue alive
According to reports, US representatives are expected to arrive in Islamabad on Monday for discussions linked to Iran-related negotiations, although Tehran has not yet confirmed whether it will send a delegation to Pakistan for the talks.
Pezeshkian’s comments reflect Iran’s dual-track approach of signalling openness to dialogue while maintaining a cautious stance towards Washington. State media quoted him as saying that diplomacy should be fully utilised to reduce tensions, but that vigilance in dealings with the US remains essential.
The situation remains fluid, with no official confirmation yet from Tehran regarding its participation in the Islamabad engagement. Diplomatic observers say the coming days could prove critical in determining whether the ceasefire can be extended or replaced by a more structured negotiation framework.
