Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Aug 29: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Tehran is willing to negotiate with the United States but remains wary of Washington, stressing that Iran will honour its commitments only if the US reciprocates.
Pezeshkian made the remarks during a televised interview broadcast on Friday night, responding to questions on whether ongoing diplomatic efforts could revive the peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Iran and the US in June and restore Iran's rights.
"We can move forward" if Iran's actions are met with reciprocal and proportional measures from the other side, the Iranian president said, while acknowledging that the two countries may not achieve all their objectives.
Under the MoU, the US was expected to lift a naval blockade and oil and petrochemical sanctions against Iran and release Iranian frozen assets.
Pezeshkian said Iran had exported nearly 90 million barrels of oil during the period in which the agreement was being implemented, Xinhua news agency reported.
"The main issue is that we must be committed to the MoU we have written. When we sit down at the negotiating table, we can talk to them," he said.
On June 18, the US and Iran signed the deal aimed at ending the war in the region on all fronts, including Lebanon. The two sides were scheduled to begin negotiations within 60 days, with the deadline falling on August 17, to reach a final agreement.
However, the future of the talks remains uncertain following the escalation between the two countries last month.
Pezeshkian's remarks came as Iran continues to face mounting economic pressures.
In a separate message on Friday marking Government Week, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei called for "serious" attention to economic and livelihood challenges, including inflation, unemployment and price and market management.
Khamenei said Iran needs stronger economic growth, increased investment and higher production, describing greater reliance on domestic production as key to tackling the country's economic difficulties.
Where domestic production is unable to meet demand, imports should be used "properly and wisely", he said.
He also called for maintaining national unity and protecting social cohesion, warning against statements that could fuel hopelessness and weaken national and public morale.
The remarks came amid intensified US economic pressure on Iran. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump announced what he described as "the most crushing economic operation ever taken" against any country providing a lifeline to Iran.
"This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale," Trump said in a social media post, describing the move as an "ECONOMIC D-DAY."