US-Iran Talks Fail to Begin as 60-Day Deadline Expires

The 60-day deadline set for negotiations between the United States and Iran under a memorandum of understanding has expired, but talks between the two countries have yet to begin.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the 60-day period was agreed upon in Islamabad for negotiations on lifting sanctions and resolving the nuclear issue. However, he said the talks could not begin because the United States violated the memorandum.

Baghaei said Pakistan and Qatar were continuing efforts to reduce tensions between the two sides, adding that there were no other mediators involved in the process.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has linked the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to the United States implementing the memorandum of understanding.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran had reached the memorandum with the United States for peace with dignity and strength. He added that the principles laid down by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been taken into consideration when the agreement was concluded.