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FM Spox: No direct talks held with US
Baqaei describes Washington’s proposals as ‘unrealistic’
Speaking during his first press conference in the new Iranian year, Baqaei said that Tehran has only received messages through mediators about the United States’ desire for.
“Since the last round of negotiations, what we have received are messages, through various intermediaries, including Pakistan, indicating the United States’ willingness and request to engage in talks,” he said.
However, Baqaei questioned Washington’s seriousness to pursue diplomacy, saying that reactions around the world indicate that global trust in the US’s claims regarding diplomacy is very limited.
He also responded to a question about the US 15-point proposal for a ceasefire.
“From the very beginning, Iran’s position has been clear, and we fully understand the framework of our demands. The proposals conveyed to us (15 points) were excessive and unrealistic”, Baqaei said.
The US President Donald Trump claimed on Sunday that Iran gave the US most of the 15 demands it has issued.
“They gave us most of the points. Why wouldn’t they?” he told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday. “We’re going to be asking for a couple of other things.”
Meetings in Pakistan
Regarding meetings held by Pakistan over the aggression against Iran, he said, the he meetings Pakistan holds with neighboring countries are within a framework they have designed themselves, and Tehran has not participated in the meetings.
“It is, of course, commendable if regional and neighboring countries are concerned about peace and security. However, the logical demand of the Islamic Republic of Iran is that any country or party addressing the issue of war in the region should consider which party initiated the conflict. Perspectives must be realistic and fair”.
Baqaei added that Iran’s position is clear: as long as the aggression continues, Iran’s efforts remain focused on defending itself.
The US and the Israeli regime launched a large-scale unprovoked military campaign against Iran on February 28. The attacks have claimed the lives of hundreds of Iranians including the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several senior military commanders.
The attacks have involved extensive aerial strikes on both military and civilian locations across Iran, causing widespread damage to infrastructure.
In response, the Iranian Armed Forces have carried out retaliatory operations, targeting US bases in regional countries and Israel’s positions in the occupied territories.
The spokesperson said that Iran’s self-defense operations should not be regarded as hostile acts against regional countries, as the operations are aimed at the military bases from which attacks are conducted against Iranian territory.
The diplomat also stressed that Iran has never considered any regional country as an enemy and will never do so, saying that the Islamic Republic expects these countries to adhere to their international legal obligations as well as principles of brotherhood and neighborliness.
Baqaei said that human rights and international humanitarian law have been the main victim of the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran.
“In the past 80 years, since the establishment of the United Nations, no comparable case can be found in which, within the span of a single month, such heinous crimes have occurred; crimes that encompass all the criteria of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and possibly even genocide, both in terms of the targets struck and the killing of innocent people,” he said, referring to the US-Israeli attacks on civilian sites in Iran, including hospitals, schools, universities, and residential units.
He said that Iran will continue to defend itself against the “unlawful war” waged by the US and Israel.