Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, met with ambassadors in Tehran on 10/4, stating that a 10-point proposal from Tehran had been accepted as the basis for upcoming negotiations.
His statement came ahead of planned meetings between US and Iranian delegations in Islamabad, Pakistan, starting 11/4, to discuss a long-term ceasefire. Iran's Supreme National Security Council indicated the Islamabad talks could last up to 15 days.
Deputy Minister Ravanchi reiterated Iran's readiness for dialogue but stated it would not tolerate "deceptive diplomacy" used as a pretext for opponents to prepare future military operations.
"Iran rejects any ceasefire that allows the adversary to rearm and launch future attacks", he said, outlining Iran's stance on any potential agreement.
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Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi. Photo: CNN
He noted that Iran had clearly informed international partners that the current situation would not end without binding guarantees to prevent similar attacks from recurring.
The Deputy Foreign Minister also clarified that Iran's "defensive" operations should not be seen as hostile acts toward its neighbors. He stated that Iran's military response targeted only US bases and facilities in the region, reaffirming Tehran's commitment to a "good neighbor" policy.
On 8/4, the US and Iran reached a two-week ceasefire agreement brokered by Pakistan, to facilitate negotiations. US Vice President JD Vance will lead the US negotiating team, while the Iranian delegation is reportedly led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Before departing for Pakistan today, US Vice President JD Vance expressed his anticipation and hope for "positive" discussions.
"As the President has stated, if Iran is ready to negotiate in good faith, we will certainly extend a hand. But if they seek to take advantage of us, they will find the negotiating team will not easily accept that", Vance said.
According to the US Vice President, Trump had provided "clear instructions" for the discussions to the negotiating team, including special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, but did not elaborate further.
By Ngoc Anh (WANA, AFP, Reuters)
