Iran says it never left talks, accuses US of unilateral demands

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Sunday that Tehran has never abandoned the negotiating table, accusing Washington of insisting on unilateral demands while denying any role in alleged attacks on British air bases.

Unilateral US demands

Speaking to ARD, Baqaei addressed the stalled diplomatic efforts. "Iran has never left the negotiating table. The problem lies in America's insistence on its unilateral demands and its attempts to impose them," he said. The spokesman did not specify which demands Washington had advanced.

Strait of Hormuz

Baqaei described the strategic waterway as "not safe," holding Washington and Tel Aviv responsible for instability. "The US and Israel have abused this waterway because they continue to use the entire region to carry out their military attacks and unlawful acts of aggression against Iran," he said. He added that Tehran would take necessary measures to protect its territorial integrity and national security as long as hostilities continued.

Conflict background

The US and Israel launched military action against Iran on Feb. 28, prompting retaliatory strikes against Israeli and American assets across the region before a ceasefire took hold in April. A June memorandum set a 60-day timeline to conclude a peace deal, but the agreement collapsed after Iran fired on vessels passing through an "uncoordinated" route in the strait. Tehran recently offered to reopen the waterway within seven days if Washington lifted its blockade, eased oil export restrictions, released frozen assets and ended hostilities on all fronts including Lebanon.