Tehran, Iran – Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf announced that his country will not begin any negotiations with the United States before two essential conditions are met. These conditions are a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of frozen Iranian assets. This comes amidst continued regional tensions despite the announcement of a partial truce.
Conditions for negotiation
Qalibaf explained in remarks on the “X” platform that there are measures that were previously agreed upon by the relevant parties, but they have not yet been implemented. He stressed that their implementation is a mandatory prerequisite for initiating any new negotiation process with Washington.
He pointed out that a ceasefire in Lebanon is a crucial step for creating a conducive political and security environment, especially given the ongoing military operations there. Tehran maintains that these operations are covered by the recent de-escalation understandings.
Frozen assets: A recurring problem
Regarding the second condition, the Iranian parliament speaker emphasized the necessity of releasing frozen Iranian assets. This demand has been repeated in previous rounds of negotiations, but this time it is being presented as a precondition rather than a point of contention.
Observers believe this demand reflects the economic pressures facing Iran. It also reinforces its insistence on securing tangible gains before engaging in any new talks.
Divergent international positions
These statements come at a time when Iran and the Pakistani mediator assert that Lebanon was included in the recent ceasefire agreement, while the United States and Israel deny this. This reflects the continued divergence in interpreting the terms of the truce.
In response to the Iranian position, the White House referred to statements by US Vice President Jay D. Vance, but provided no further details. This leaves the future of the negotiations contingent on developments in the coming days.
