Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran

Tehran, May 6: Masoud Pezeshkian held a phone conversation with Ali al-Zaidi, reiterating that Iran remains open to dialogue but will not yield to coercion or unilateral demands.

According to an official statement, Pezeshkian criticized the approach of the United States, saying its “maximum pressure” policy contradicts its expectation that Iran should return to negotiations and accept its terms. He emphasized that such a stance is unrealistic and unacceptable.

The Iranian president underscored that Tehran does not favor conflict or instability, but firmly defended the country’s right to maintain its nuclear program. He noted that Iran has consistently been willing to provide assurances—within the framework of international law and monitoring—to demonstrate the peaceful intent of its nuclear activities.

For his part, al-Zaidi expressed Iraq’s willingness to act as a mediator between Iran and the United States in an effort to ease tensions in the region. Both sides also agreed to exchange official visits in the near future to deepen bilateral relations.

The conversation comes in the backdrop of heightened tensions following the February 28 attacks on Iran, when Israel and the United States carried out coordinated strikes on Tehran and other cities, resulting in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with senior military officials and civilians. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli territory and U.S. assets in the Middle East.

A ceasefire was later reached on April 8, followed by talks held in Islamabad on April 11 and 12. However, those discussions concluded without a formal agreement, leaving the situation unresolved.