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Iran denies reports of dialogue with the United States

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei

30 March 2026 12:30 (UTC +04:00)

Iran has denied claims that it is holding negotiations with the United States, APA’s Tehran correspondent reports.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said at a press conference that no direct dialogue has taken place between Iran and the United States.

“Only some intermediaries, including Pakistan, have conveyed messages to us about the U.S. being ready for negotiations,” Baghaei said.

He described U.S. demands on Iran as “excessive and illogical” and accused Washington of frequently changing its position.

Referring to the meeting of the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Egypt in Islamabad, the Iranian diplomat stressed that Iran did not participate in those talks.

“It is commendable that regional countries are concerned about peace, but events must be viewed realistically. Iran did not start this war. On the contrary, Iran was attacked in the middle of a diplomatic process. The world should not forget that Iran joined negotiations as a rational country, but it was the United States that disrupted the negotiating table,” the spokesperson said.

Touching upon Iran’s relations with its neighbors, Baghaei noted that Iran has always been and will remain a neighbor to all countries in the region and around the Persian Gulf.

“We share common cultural, religious, and historical values with all neighboring countries and never consider them enemies. Others come and go, but we and our neighbors remain in the region,” he said.

He also described Iran’s targeting of U.S. military bases in the region as “fully moral and logical,” justifying it under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

“All countries know that allowing one’s territory to be used to attack another country violates international law and makes those countries part of the target. What Iran has done is self-defense and should not be considered a hostile act against any country. Our expectation from neighboring countries is that they remain committed to their obligations within the framework of international law and good neighborly relations. This war could become a source of instability,” Baghaei added.