TEHRAN, Iran: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday said his country was willing to engage in dialogue with the United States, but stressed that any negotiations must be based on mutual respect and equality, and not conducted under threats or pressure.
Speaking during a meeting with Iran’s Minister of Science, Research and Technology and his deputies in Tehran, Pezeshkian criticised the United States for pursuing what he described as a contradictory approach — calling for talks while simultaneously threatening military action.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran wants dialogue on equal footing — not that they want to negotiate with Iran on the one hand and threaten it on the other,” he was quoted as saying by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.
The Iranian president’s comments came in response to recent remarks by US President Donald Trump, who reiterated his desire for direct negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear programme.
“I think it goes faster and you understand the other side a lot better than if you go through intermediaries,” Trump said on Thursday, according to The Wall Street Journal.
However, President Pezeshkian questioned the sincerity of Washington’s intentions. “If you want negotiations, then what is the point of threatening?” he asked, adding, “Today, America is not only humiliating Iran, but also the world.”
Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran is open to indirect negotiations, but only if they are conducted on the basis of reciprocity and respect.
He called on the Trump administration to abandon its policy of “sanctioning and threatening” if it truly seeks peace and stability in the region.
Trump’s push for talks with Iran
Tensions between Tehran and Washington have escalated in recent weeks, particularly after Trump reportedly sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last month proposing a two-month deadline to reach a new nuclear agreement.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration is seeking direct talks to dismantle Iran’s nuclear programme in its entirety.
A senior US official cited by the paper said Washington wants to avoid prolonged negotiations through intermediaries and is instead pushing for face-to-face talks.
Meanwhile, the US has also increased its military presence in the Middle East, deploying two carrier strike groups, B-2 bombers, F-35 fighter jets, and Patriot air defence systems.
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While US officials insist the deployments are precautionary, Iranian officials have interpreted the moves as aggressive.
On Monday, Ali Larijani, a senior advisor to Khamenei, warned that while Iran was not pursuing nuclear weapons, it would “have no choice but to do so” if attacked.
Western nations, led by the United States, have long accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons — a charge Tehran denies.
Iranian officials maintain that the country’s nuclear activities are peaceful and within its sovereign rights.
In 2015, Iran signed a landmark nuclear deal with the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany, agreeing to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
However, in 2018, the Trump administration unilaterally withdrew from the deal and reimposed sweeping sanctions, prompting Iran to gradually reduce its compliance and accelerate its nuclear programme.
