A source with knowledge of the talks told i24NEWS that the Iranian delegation was aware a joint photograph was expected — and that even Iranian media were present in the room — but backed out at the last second. The account follows Vice President Vance's earlier disclosure of a last-minute Iranian refusal.
A source with knowledge of the talks told i24NEWS on Sunday evening that the Iranian delegation was aware a joint photograph with the American team was expected — and that even Iranian media were present in the room — but backed out at the last second. The account corroborates and expands on a disclosure earlier Sunday by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who revealed the Iranian refusal as a 'last minute' humiliation, and comes after the desk reported at 16:48 Jerusalem Sunday that parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf had refused to enter the room during the press conference — an account initially carried by Iran's Tasnim news agency. The same hour, the desk noted Iranian media reports that the entire delegation had refused a planned handshake and joint photo at the meeting start, before Vance's confirmation elevated the report from Iranian state media to an on-record U.S. disclosure. The source's description now adds that the Iranians were fully briefed on the arrangement and that their own press was in place, making the withdrawal more deliberate. The incident follows a week of conflicting signals from Tehran and Washington over a possible memorandum of understanding in Islamabad, which Iranian news agencies claimed was signed on Thursday (as The Zioneer reported at 09:52 Jerusalem on June 18) while other reports indicated a planned ceremony was canceled. The precise status of the broader U.S.-Iran talks remains unclear, with Israeli officials saying earlier this week they were still mapping out the full agreement details. What remains open: The source's account has not been confirmed by Iranian or U.S. officials, and it is unclear whether the photo refusal reflects a direct instruction from Tehran or a decision by Qalibaf's team on the ground.
6 developments
- DevelopingIranian Khorasan daily warns US officials will avoid joint photos with Iranian counterparts in Geneva
- StrongIran rejects Qatari proposal for trilateral meeting with US
- DevelopingSource: Iran refuses to meet IAEA chief Grossi at Switzerland talks
- DevelopingIran sent no new proposal to the US, source close to Iranian negotiating team says
Source and signal
- Internal intake