Iran says U.S. violations render 60-day MoU deadline irrelevant

Iran declared on Monday that a 60-day deadline for negotiations with the United States, stemming from a June memorandum of understanding, is irrelevant, accusing Washington of violating the agreement shortly after it was signed. The statement from Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei underscores the continued diplomatic impasse between the two nations, with the framework for talks effectively collapsed and no new dialogue scheduled.

Speaking at a weekly news conference, Baqaei asserted that the memorandum, signed on June 18, never contained a strict deadline. He stated it instead outlined a 60-day period for discussions on lifting sanctions and addressing nuclear issues, a period that could have been extended. However, he claimed that due to what he called flagrant and widespread U.S. violations just weeks after signing, no talks were initiated, rendering the timeframe moot. He emphasized that Iran does not formulate policy under ultimatums.

The memorandum had emerged from talks hosted by Pakistan in June, following a ceasefire in April that halted open hostilities. The conflict began in late February with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, prompting Iranian retaliatory...