Iran on Monday blamed the slow pace of efforts to end the U.S.-Iran conflict on a lack of trust, contradictory positions from Washington and continued Israeli attacks in the region.
“Negotiations have started amid severe suspicion and mistrust, and the exchange of messages is taking place in this atmosphere,” foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said, adding that the two countries had not yet concluded. “The other party is constantly changing its views and putting forward new or contradictory demands (…) it is natural that this situation will prolong negotiations,” he said.
Baghaei said that if contradictory messages were part of a U.S. negotiating tactic, they would not work with Iran, while if they reflected disarray within the U.S. administration, Washington should reach a clear and definitive position as soon as possible. Baghaei said Tehran viewed Israeli actions in the region, including in Lebanon, as inseparable from those of the U.S., adding that any agreement to end the regional conflict would have to include implementation of the Lebanon ceasefire.