Iran’s parliament speaker has outlined two pre-conditions for negotiations with the United States, calling for a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran’s blocked assets. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf emphasized that these measures must be fulfilled before talks can commence, as stated in a post in English.
This announcement came shortly after US Vice President JD Vance departed for Islamabad to discuss converting a temporary ceasefire with Iran into a permanent truce. Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were expected to lead the Iranian delegation during the talks in the Pakistani capital.
Vance cautioned that if there were attempts to deceive them, the negotiating team would not be receptive to such tactics. Iran has insisted that the ceasefire agreement includes Lebanon, where the conflict with Israel has resulted in significant casualties since March.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, serving as a key mediator, indicated that Lebanon was part of the agreement, aligning with Iran’s 10-point peace proposal to the US. However, the White House refuted these claims, with Vance labeling it a “misunderstanding” unrelated to Tehran.
While unblocking frozen Iranian assets was not previously highlighted as a negotiation prerequisite, Iran’s demand for full sanctions relief remains among its key requirements.