The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Iran’s parliament speaker said
Tehran entered recent negotiations with the United States in Pakistan with
goodwill but remained deeply distrustful of Washington, citing past conflicts
and failed diplomacy.
Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf said ahead of the talks that Iran
had the “necessary goodwill and determination,” but added that previous wars
had eroded trust in the United States.
In a statement following the discussions, he said the
Iranian delegation had presented constructive proposals, but the U.S. side
ultimately failed to win Tehran’s confidence during the latest round of
negotiations.
Ghalibaf said Washington appeared to understand Iran’s
position and principles, but now faced a decision on whether it could build
trust with Tehran.
The speaker emphasized that Iran views diplomacy conducted
from a position of strength as complementary to military efforts, and said the
country would continue pursuing what he described as gains achieved during
weeks of national defense.
He also thanked Pakistan for facilitating the talks, which
were held in Islamabad as part of efforts to ease regional tensions.
The remarks come after Reuters reported that the United
States and Iran failed to reach an agreement to end their war following
marathon negotiations that concluded Sunday in Islamabad, raising concerns over
a fragile ceasefire.
According to the report, both sides blamed each other for
the collapse of the 21-hour talks aimed at ending more than six weeks of fighting
that has killed thousands and driven global oil prices higher.
Ghalibaf also expressed appreciation for public support
inside Iran and praised members of his delegation for their efforts during what
he described as lengthy and intensive negotiations.