Iran sets hard conditions in U.S. negotiations
Tehran ties nuclear talks to regional peace efforts
According to Tasnim news; A detailed review of the indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States, mediated by Pakistan since April 2026, reveals deep-seated disagreements over regional ceasefires and Tehran's nuclear program, with Iranian officials maintaining a rigid stance on their core national security conditions.
The diplomatic process began in early April 2026, following an announcement by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council of a two-week ceasefire. The pause in hostilities was initiated after Washington accepted Iran’s 10-point framework as a basis for discussions in Islamabad. However, early friction arose as Israeli military operations continued in Lebanon despite Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s assurances of a comprehensive halt to regional conflicts, a move Tehran viewed as an American breach of commitment.
The first official round of talks in Islamabad brought together a high-level Iranian delegation led by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Ali Bagheri Kani, facing an American team headed by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Jared Kushner, and Steve Witkoff. These initial sessions ended in total failure due to what Iranian sources described as excessive U.S. nuclear demands, an undefined mechanism for unfreezing Iranian assets, Washington's refusal to guarantee a permanent ceasefire in Lebanon, and disputes over maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz.
Following a temporary walkout by Iran, Pakistani mediation—led by Army Chief General Asim Munir—successfully secured a formal ceasefire in Lebanon by mid-April, prompting Tehran to return to the diplomatic table. Iran has since submitted a 14-point draft outlining its position. The core of Tehran’s strategy remains that "the end of the war is nuclear," asserting that nuclear concessions will not be discussed until a comprehensive regional peace, favorable to Iran's terms, is fully established.
