Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Wednesday evening that a final internal decision on any agreement with the US has not yet been made, and declined to confirm speculation about the text of the memorandum of understanding. Speaking alongside Iran's ongoing Pakistan-mediated talks, Baghaei said Tehran has communicated its positions and red lines clearly throughout the process.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters Wednesday evening that Iranian decision-making bodies have not yet reached a final conclusion on any agreement with the United States. He declined to confirm or comment on media reports about the wording of a potential memorandum of understanding, saying that until a final internal decision is made, speculation about the text remains unconfirmed. This statement comes at 20:43 Jerusalem — hours after earlier Iranian signals suggested a near-complete deal.
Baghaei said that Iran has communicated its positions and red lines clearly to its negotiating interlocutors — via Pakistan — from the start of the diplomatic process. The remark echoes his earlier statements at 20:36, when he first said Tehran had made its red lines clear to Pakistan from the beginning, as The Zioneer reported. At 20:42, the spokesperson noted that decision-making bodies were meeting to discuss the memorandum, but declined at that time as well to confirm reports — a pattern that suggests ongoing internal debate without a unified final position.
As The Zioneer has tracked throughout the evening, conflicting Iranian signals have emerged. At 17:55, Iran's Foreign Ministry stated it was in final stages of formulating its position on the MOU. At 17:55 as well, Foreign Minister Araghchi said the memorandum was "closer than ever" to completion. But by 20:39, the same spokesperson clarified that being "close to an understanding" was not new. Pakistan, the mediating party, said at 17:37 Jerusalem that it continues its efforts and has not given up hope for a breakthrough.
The pattern of repetitive diplomatic language — "we will sign when it serves our interests" — extends back to June 11 at 23:57, as The Zioneer reported. What remains open is whether Iran's supreme authorities will authorize the MOU as reported. Baghaei's refusal to confirm the text leaves the terms unverified.
8 developments
- DevelopingIran's Foreign Ministry spokesman: We'll sign a deal only when it serves our interests
- DevelopingIranian Foreign Ministry: Supreme authorities to decide on any potential understanding
- DevelopingIran says final review of agreement text underway
- StrongIran says US talks at advanced stage, most points agreed
Source and signal
- Internal intake