Iran sent a message ahead of the all-important Islamabad talks scheduled to take place over the weekend between them and the US. When Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf boarded the flight along with foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, he posted a photo from the plane.
This was not just an announcement of Tehran’s leadership heading to Pakistan, it was a message on how Iran intended to approach the negotiations.
In the photo shared by Ghalibaf, he is seen standing against empty seats in the plane, each bearing images of schoolchildren killed in a missile strike on a school in Minab at the start of the war, along with their school bags and a flower. Iran has alleged that the strike was carried out by the United States, while Washington has distanced itself from the attack.
Ghalibaf referred to these children as his ‘companions’, as if to remind the world what escalated the conflict and what pushed Iran into war. The attack, which killed 165 people, is expected to be a key talking point when discussions begin in Islamabad.
Despite being a technologically advanced war, featuring missiles, drones, and warplanes, it has also involved a significant battle of optics.
From the outset, Iran has maintained that it was acting in self-defence and was pushed into the conflict. The country’s various consulated and embassyes have been constantly busting the fake news related to the war and what they have termed as ‘American agenda’.
Also Read | Iran-US talks in Pakistan: Timing, attendees’ list, what’s on agenda; 5 things to know
Ghalibaf says history shows one cannot trust the US
After arriving in Islamabad, Ghalibaf said that while Iran’s leadership had come to Pakistan to initiate talks with the US, they did not trust the Americans. He cited past experiences where, according to him, the US failed to honour its commitments.
“Our experience of negotiations with the Americans has always been marked by failure and broken promises. They attacked us twice in the middle of negotiations. We have goodwill, but no trust,” he said, according to ANI.
The high-level delegation includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, along with Ali Akbar Ahmadian, Secretary of Iran’s Defence Council, and Abdolnaser Hemmati, Governor of the Central Bank of Iran. Several members of the Iranian parliament are also part of the visiting team.
Ghalibaf also said that a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of blocked Iranian assets are preconditions for negotiations to proceed in Islamabad.
