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Provided by AGPThe statement emerged from a telephone exchange between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi, according to an official readout from Iran's presidency. Pezeshkian asserted that Tehran had demonstrated complete readiness across all negotiating rounds to provide assurances within the established framework of international regulations and global monitoring mechanisms.
The Iranian president leveled sharp criticism at what he characterized as deeply contradictory US policy, arguing that Washington continues to pile on pressure with one hand while extending an invitation to negotiate with the other. He further noted that Iran had come under direct attack during previous rounds of nuclear diplomacy and now finds itself confronting fresh military threats even as new talks remain underway.
— Regional Cooperation
Turning to bilateral relations, Pezeshkian described Iraq as a "brother" nation and voiced strong support for deepening ties between the two neighbors, expressing confidence that the incoming Iraqi government would successfully navigate its economic challenges and consolidate national stability.
The Iranian president reiterated that Tehran neither seeks war nor regional instability, reaffirming its commitment to resolving all outstanding disputes — including those with neighboring states — through dialogue. He simultaneously flagged that attacks against Iran had been conducted using infrastructure located in certain regional countries, issuing a firm call for an immediate halt to military provocations.
Zaidi, for his part, signaled Baghdad's willingness to play an active mediating role, stating that Iraq is prepared to facilitate direct talks between Tehran and Washington and could serve as a neutral host for such negotiations. He stressed that the Iran-US standoff must be resolved through diplomacy, cautioning that continued confrontation offers no path to an enduring solution.
The diplomatic exchanges unfold against a volatile regional backdrop. US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 ignited a chain of Iranian retaliation and severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire brokered through Pakistani mediation took hold on April 8, but subsequent negotiations in Islamabad collapsed without yielding a permanent accord. US President Donald Trump later extended the truce indefinitely, without attaching a firm end date.
Compounding the pressure, the United States has maintained a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic through the critical waterway since April 13.
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