US-Iran Talks Fail to Begin as 60-Day Deadline Expires

ISLAMABAD: A 60-day deadline set under a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran has expired without formal talks between the two countries getting underway, according to Iranian officials.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the 60-day period under the memorandum was intended to provide time for the lifting of sanctions and negotiations over the nuclear issue.

He alleged that the United States had violated the understanding, preventing the talks from beginning.

Baghaei said Pakistan and Qatar were continuing efforts to reduce tensions between Washington and Tehran, adding that there were no other mediators involved in the process.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has linked the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to US implementation of the memorandum, according to the report.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran had reached the understanding with Washington from a position of dignity and strength, adding that the principles laid down by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been taken into account during the negotiations.

The expiry of the deadline without the start of direct talks adds further uncertainty to diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions between the two countries, particularly over sanctions, Iran’s nuclear programme and the strategic Strait of Hormuz.