Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday said that now is the “best time” to reach an agreement with the US, Anadolu reports.
“When people talk about reaching an agreement, I believe now is the best time, because there is cohesion, strength and unity in the country. As far as I know, Iran is regarded as having emerged from this war and this conflict victorious and strong,” Pezeshkian said at his second news conference since taking office.
He said the current situation provided an opportunity to pursue an agreement and resolve outstanding issues through dialogue.
According to the semi-official ISNA news agency, Pezeshkian said Iran could pursue its rights through dialogue and that it sought “nothing beyond the rights of the country and its people.”
He said wars alone could not resolve disputes and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to pursuing peace under the memorandum of understanding signed with the US in June.
“The issues cannot be resolved through war alone,” he said. “We are trying to move toward peace based on the provisions of the memorandum.”
“We are determined to make the memorandum the basis of our approach, provided the United States abandons the atmosphere of distrust it has created and trust can be rebuilt,” Pezeshkian said, adding that Washington remained “untrustworthy” in Tehran’s view.
In other remarks carried by the official IRNA news agency, Pezeshkian said dialogue had not altered Tehran’s long-standing position toward Washington.
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“The US is colonialist, the US is criminal, and the Islamic Republic remains the Islamic Republic. There is no doubt about that,” he said.
Pezeshkian, however, argued that diplomacy had compelled Washington to negotiate with Tehran.
“The very fact that we held talks and pursued diplomacy forced the US to come to the table and reach an agreement and understanding with Iran,” he said.
He rejected criticism of the memorandum, saying it contained no provision requiring Iran to relinquish any of its interests or positions.
“You will not find a single clause in the memorandum in which we gave anything away,” he said, adding that Tehran “stands firmly” behind what it signed.
Pezeshkian accused Washington of violating the memorandum by pursuing alternative shipping arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz instead of adhering to procedures to be jointly agreed by Iran and Oman.
He said disputes over the alleged violations should be addressed through mechanisms established under the memorandum and expressed hope the implementation process would continue “with dignity and honor” for Iran.
Pezeshkian also defended Iran’s negotiating team, describing its members as “dedicated, expert and hardworking,” and said criticism directed at them was unfair.
He also said his administration was working with the heads of the three branches of government and the Supreme National Security Council to ease internet restrictions while taking security and infrastructure considerations into account.
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