Iran says 60-day US talks deadline no longer valid

Iran has said that the 60-day deadline set for talks with the United States is no longer relevant after what it described as a violation of the agreement by Washington.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said during a weekly press conference that the memorandum of understanding signed on June 18 did not formally include a fixed 60-day deadline.

He said Iran does not make decisions under pressure, threats, ultimatums or fixed deadlines.

According to Baghaei, the June 18 understanding involved discussions on two main issues: lifting sanctions on Iran and the nuclear issue. The roughly 60-day period was considered for negotiations, and it could have been extended if a final agreement was not reached.

However, Baghaei claimed that the United States seriously violated the understanding only weeks after it was signed, preventing the negotiations from properly beginning.

He said that since the talks did not move forward, there was no reason to continue discussing the 60-day deadline.

Baghaei also discussed the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iran’s sovereign rights in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman are already covered by existing laws.

He said the Foreign Ministry would continue working with parliament on legislation related to Iran’s rights in the region.

The statement comes as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz remain high. The strategic waterway is one of the world’s most important shipping routes and is used to transport a significant share of global oil supplies.