Iran will not accept 'excessive demands' in US talks: Pezeshkian

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday declared that Tehran will not accept "excessive demands" by the United States in ongoing Pakistan-mediated negotiations, insisting that the talks have been structured to fully safeguard the rights of the Iranian nation during a meeting with business leaders in Tehran.

Addressing members of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Pezeshkian stated that the government and private sector would overcome current challenges through cooperation. "Although the enemy has shifted its focus to economic warfare after military failure, we will get through this stage successfully," he said, stressing the importance of solidarity between state and business interests.

Regional tensions

Regional tensions have remained high since Washington and Tel Aviv launched military strikes against Iran in February, prompting retaliatory attacks against Israeli targets and US allies in the Gulf alongside the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire brokered by Islamabad took effect on April 8 and was subsequently extended indefinitely by US President Donald Trump, according to diplomatic sources.

On Saturday, Trump told reporters that an agreement with Tehran to end the conflict had been "largely negotiated" and was awaiting finalization, though Iranian officials have not publicly confirmed this assessment. The Pakistan-mediated talks represent the most sustained diplomatic effort to resolve the crisis since hostilities began more than two months ago.