A spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry said Thursday evening that it is clear to all parties who is negotiating in good faith, adding that the timing and place for signing an understanding cannot be determined until a final decision is made within Iran. The remarks, by an official on the Iranian negotiating team, come as conflicting signals continue over the status of US-Iran talks mediated by Pakistan.
A spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry and a member of the Iranian negotiating team stated Thursday evening that the final decision on signing an understanding with the United States rests with Iran's internal decision-making bodies. 'We entered the diplomatic process in good faith to reach an understanding,' he said, according to the report. 'We are focused in the negotiations on achieving results and we are following the positions of the other side.' The official also noted Tehran is taking into account its previous experience negotiating with the US side.
The statement adds to a fast-moving evening of contradictory signals. As The Zioneer reported at 20:43, Iranian officials earlier described the talks as being at an 'advanced stage' with most points agreed and an MOU being drafted. The shift to caution — 'we cannot express an opinion on the time and place of signing' — follows similar hedging in recent days. On Wednesday at 17:55, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said a final internal decision had not yet been made, declining to confirm the MOU text. That same evening, Baghaei stated Iran was in the final stages of drafting the understanding, though he noted that 'contradictory statements from the other side have been a problem.' The thread has seen Tehran oscillate between optimism and official distance since Foreign Minister Araghchi first said the MOU was 'closer than ever' on an earlier day at 17:55 Jerusalem.
The broader context, as The Zioneer reported at 23:26 on Wednesday, is that Iran's supreme authorities will discuss any potential understanding and announce Tehran's position at an appropriate time. Separately, Israel's UN ambassador told Israeli media that the US 'wants to reach an agreement, but Tehran is dragging its feet,' assessing that Washington may need to apply more force. Pakistan has said it continues its mediation efforts, even after a Pakistani source told Al-Hadath that the two sides remain far from a deal.
What remains open: whether the 'final decision' the spokesman references is genuine ratification within Iran's supreme bodies or a diplomatic tactic while Washington waits; also, the precise status of the MOU text after a day of contradictory characterizations from the same official source.
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