Iran said Monday afternoon that U.S. demands raised in indirect talks between the sides were “excessive and unreasonable,” against the backdrop of a deadline set by President Donald Trump for a deal.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said: “We have not held direct negotiations with the United States so far. We have received messages through intermediaries regarding the U.S. desire to hold talks.”
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Trump and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf
(Photo: AFP - SOURCE: UGC / UNKNOWN, REUTERS/Jessica Koscielniak/Stringer)
Baghaei said meetings in Pakistan were among countries involved in mediation and that Iran did not participate. “It is good that countries in the region want the war to end, but they must pay attention to which side started the war,” he said, adding: “Iran’s position is clear, unlike the other side, which constantly changes its stance. Iran knows very well what framework we want, and what was conveyed to us were excessive and unreasonable demands.”
Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said of the war and the negotiations: “Our forces are among the strongest in the world. We crushed the attackers. The attackers are begging to negotiate over the Strait of Hormuz, and we must see how far they are willing to go in concessions. They must say: we will not attack Iran again and we will recognize all its rights.”
Trump is demanding that Iran agree to a deal by April 6 or its energy sites will be attacked. He said indirect talks between the sides, through Pakistani mediators, are progressing well.
In an interview with the Financial Times, the U.S. president was asked whether an agreement to open the Strait of Hormuz could be reached in the coming days and replied: “We have about 3,000 targets left. We bombed 13,000 targets and there are several thousand more ahead of us. A deal can be reached fairly quickly.”
Iranian ambassador refuses to leave Beirut
Last week, amid fighting in Iran and Lebanon, Beirut announced the expulsion of the Iranian ambassador as part of Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji’s effort to sever Lebanon from Iranian influence, a key ally of Hezbollah. Lebanon declared him persona non grata and demanded he leave by Sunday. On Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said that despite the Lebanese demand, Ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani “will continue his work.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said Monday: “Last week, Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry ceremonially declared Iran’s ambassador persona non grata and set a deadline for his expulsion. That deadline passed yesterday, March 29. This morning, the Iranian ambassador is drinking his coffee in Beirut and mocking the ‘state’ hosting him. Hezbollah ministers are still serving in Lebanon’s government. Lebanon is a virtual state effectively occupied by Iran.”