DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday said he has instructed the country’s foreign minister to pursue what he described as “fair and equitable negotiations” with the United States, marking the clearest indication yet that Tehran is open to renewed diplomatic engagement as tensions with Washington remain high.
In a post on X written in both English and Farsi, Pezeshkian said the move followed “requests from friendly governments in the region” to respond to a proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump for talks. He said negotiations would proceed only in an environment “free from threats and unreasonable expectations,” and would be guided by “the principles of dignity, prudence, and expediency.”
The announcement represents a notable shift for the reformist president, who in recent weeks had warned that the political unrest and nationwide protests in Iran had moved beyond his control. The statement also signals apparent backing from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has previously dismissed direct negotiations with Washington.
Regional diplomacy efforts have reportedly intensified in recent days. Turkey is said to be working behind the scenes to host talks later this week, coinciding with a regional tour by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Foreign ministers from Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have also been invited to attend, according to a regional official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Washington has not formally confirmed that talks will take place. A semiofficial Iranian news agency reported Monday that Pezeshkian had ordered Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to begin negotiations, though the report was later deleted without explanation.
Late Monday, pan-Arab satellite channel Al Mayadeen aired an interview with Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Khamenei and a member of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Shamkhani said any engagement would likely begin indirectly and move to direct talks only if progress appeared achievable. He added that discussions would be limited to nuclear issues.
“Iran does not seek nuclear weapons, will not seek a nuclear weapon and will never stockpile nuclear weapons,” Shamkhani said, while emphasizing that Tehran expects reciprocal steps in return. He rejected the idea of transferring Iran’s enriched uranium abroad, a provision that was part of the 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers.
Iran has enriched uranium up to 60% purity, a level just short of weapons-grade. The International Atomic Energy Agency has said Iran is the only country enriching to that level without possessing nuclear weapons. Tehran has also declined IAEA requests to inspect nuclear sites damaged during a 12-day conflict with Israel in June.
“The quantity of enriched uranium remains unknown,” Shamkhani said, citing debris at bombed facilities that has not yet been cleared due to safety concerns.
Witkoff is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior security officials during a visit to Israel, according to U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. Israel is expected to press for any agreement with Iran to include halting uranium enrichment, removing existing stockpiles, limiting ballistic missile development and ending support for regional proxy groups.
From the White House, President Trump said negotiations were ongoing but declined to outline any military thresholds. “I’d like to see a deal negotiated,” he told reporters. “If we can work something out, that’d be great. And if we can’t, probably bad things would happen.”
Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking at Dubai’s World Governments Summit, expressed skepticism, saying a lasting agreement was “unimaginable” under Iran’s current leadership.
Meanwhile, regional security concerns persist. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported Tuesday that a vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz was hailed by multiple small armed boats. The incident occurred in waters where Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has warned of recent naval drills. The ship continued its passage without further incident.
Whether the diplomatic signals from Tehran and Washington will translate into formal negotiations remains uncertain, as longstanding disagreements over Iran’s nuclear program and regional influence continue to pose significant obstacles.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
- EDGARDO HERNAL
- EDGARDO HERNAL
- EDGARDO HERNAL
- EDGARDO HERNAL
