Iran officially confirmed that it has continued back-channel message exchange with the United States even as controversy over the nullification of a previous memorandum of understanding (MOU) and armed clashes intensify. Iran says communication channels via mediators such as Qatar remain active, but it maintains a hard-line stance that defending the country takes precedence unless the U.S. changes its position.
Combining reports on the 26th (local time) from Iranian outlet WANA and Austria's public broadcaster ORF, Esmail Baghaei, Spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, said in a recent interview that "diplomatic activities by the United States and mediator countries are still ongoing." Spokesperson Baghaei explained that "mediators such as Pakistan and Qatar are performing a role by facilitating message exchange between the two sides." It is interpreted to mean that a minimum diplomatic safety valve to prevent the worst-case scenario is functioning even amid an extreme standoff.
However, Iran expressed strong distrust, saying the U.S.-Iran end-of-war MOU collapsed due to a unilateral U.S. withdrawal. Spokesperson Baghaei said, "The brief memorandum of understanding with 14 articles, signed directly by the U.S. president, had no ambiguity," adding, "The United States blatantly violated several provisions of the agreement, and this is the third diplomatic betrayal." Baghaei argued, "Iran engaged in the talks in good faith, but the United States looked for an excuse from the start to evade its promises."
In particular, Iran and the United States are locked in a fierce blame game over the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint on global sea lanes. Iran says that under Article 5 of the end-of-war MOU agreed with the United States, it pledged to restore merchant shipping linking the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to pre-war conditions within 30 days, and it faithfully implemented this until before the armed clashes. Spokesperson Baghaei criticized, "Roughly 20 days after the agreement was signed, the United States launched a large-scale military attack on Iran, using a vessel incident in the Strait of Hormuz as a pretext."
The unfreezing of assets the United States promised has also been fully halted since the MOU was effectively scrapped. Spokesperson Baghaei said, "These funds are not U.S. aid but Iranian assets that have long been illegally tied up," noting that the United States broke its promise of access to the funds when it broke the deal. Baghaei added, "European countries that should have raised their voices to resolve the crisis instead rushed to justify the military attacks while watching the United States," and "Europe also failed to do its part when the nuclear deal fell apart in the past, losing credibility."
While making clear it will not leave the negotiating table, Iran drew a line, saying it will focus for now on a military response. Spokesperson Baghaei said, "Iran's top priority right now is to defend national sovereignty, territory, and the people from crimes committed by the United States." It is interpreted to mean Iran will never accept talks that force capitulation or impose unilateral terms.