Topline
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday said his country is prepared to “reciprocate” if the U.S. agrees to reinstate commitments made by both sides in the memorandum of understanding signed in June, a day after hostilities resumed along the Strait of Hormuz with the U.S. conducting its first strikes on Iranian forces in a month.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian arrives for a SCO+ format meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek.
POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s summit in Kyrgyzstan, Pezeshkian said if the U.S. “returns to its commitments” under the previously signed interim deal, Iran would “immediately reciprocate,” Reuters reported, citing Iranian state media.
The semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency reported that before leaving the summit, Pezeshkian said Iran was “clear” that it is “not seeking war.”
The Iranian leader, however, warned that his country will not remain silent in the face of any aggression and would respond in a “decisive manner.”
Pezeshkian’s comments come a day after the U.S. military carried out what it said was a “limited, precise action” against the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ “minelaying forces.”
The strikes have triggered concerns of a return to full-blown conflict as Iran responded by targeting American bases in Jordan with ballistic missiles.
Tangent
Aside from the Iranian president, the SCO Summit was attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others, in an event viewed as an effort to build a counterweight to U.S. global influence. At the summit, Xi said the SCO should “foster an environment of universal security.” A day earlier, Modi met with Pezeshkian and directly addressed the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, calling for “lasting peace” and resumption of “freedom of navigation and commerce.”
What Have Other Iranian Officials Said?
Pezeshkian’s comments partly echoed remarks made by Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi a day earlier. According to Iranian state media, Araghchi said the U.S. must “return to its commitments and adhere to the memorandum’s terms; only then this situation will be resolved.” The foreign minister, however, insisted that Iran will “stand firm in upholding its rights” against “aggressive US attacks.” It’s unclear if Iran’s powerful paramilitary, the IRGC, would be willing to agree to the reinstatement of the interim deal.
What Has Trump Said?
In a Truth Social post on Monday morning, President Donald Trump declared Iran a “Failed Nation” that is “DEAD.” The president claimed that their leadership was in “total disarray” and the country was not able to pay its soldiers or police officials. The president told Fox News in an interview that the ongoing U.S. blockade of Iran has been “unbelievable” and added that Iran is being hit very hard financially. Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration has told negotiators that it has no interest in returning to the terms of the memorandum of understanding agreed to in June.
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