Iran and the United States are not discussing an extension of their June ceasefire, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday. Tehran says there is no ceasefire period to extend because the agreement never formally began.
The comments came after Turkey’s Anadolu news agency reported that Iran and the United States had agreed to extend a 60-day ceasefire. The report cited Pakistani government sources for the claim.
Iran disputes that interpretation of the agreement. A senior Iranian source said Washington violated the interim deal within 48 hours.
Iran says ceasefire deal never took effect
The June agreement called for an immediate and permanent end to military operations. However, US President Donald Trump declared the deal over on July 7.
Iran’s foreign ministry later described the agreement as suspended. Tehran now says Washington withdrew from the arrangement after violating its terms.
The agreement included a 60-day timeframe for Iran and the United States to pursue a final deal. That deal would have addressed Tehran’s nuclear programme and US sanctions.
The arrangement also included several conditions before further negotiations could begin. These included a ceasefire in Lebanon, Gulf navigation and waivers for Iranian oil sales.
Tehran sees no progress through mediators
The Iranian official said mediators are discussing a possible US return to the interim agreement. The discussions would also establish a timeframe for implementing its commitments.
However, the official said there had been “absolutely no progress” on that issue.
The conflicting accounts highlight continuing uncertainty over the status of the Iran-US ceasefire. Tehran rejects the idea that the 60-day period ever formally started.
For now, Iran says Washington must first return to the interim agreement. Any new timetable would depend on progress through negotiations and mediation._Reuters