Iran voices deep pessimism over US talks, warns conflict could spread to Europe
Iran says talks with the US require caution, as Tehran seeks guarantees for seven demands
Tehran: Iran expressed deep pessimism on Tuesday about the prospects for negotiations with the United States, insisting it would pursue diplomacy only with extreme caution, as hardline Iranian newspapers warned that American and NATO military bases in Europe could become targets if war resumed.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran is willing to engage in diplomatic efforts but had little confidence in Washington's intentions, citing previous US military action during negotiations.
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Speaking at a conference in Tehran, Baghaei maintained that Iran was not afraid of diplomacy and regarded negotiations as a means of protecting its national interests and preventing further instability in the region.
He accused Washington of attacking Iran twice while negotiations were under way in less than a year and of failing to honour commitments reached under the Islamabad understanding.
Those experiences, he argued, had left Tehran approaching any new diplomatic initiative with profound distrust.
Iran demands US meet seven conditions
The remarks came as Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, renewed demands for Washington to meet seven conditions before negotiations could advance and the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened.
Rezaei has rejected the US response to Tehran's proposals as inadequate, arguing that Washington must address all seven conditions explicitly and implement them.
The United States has accepted some of Iran's demands, but other issues remain unresolved, according to the Iranian security chief.
Tehran has made the lifting of the US naval blockade and the implementation of its conditions prerequisites for restoring normal shipping through the strategic waterway.
Baghaei reiterated that Iran's diplomatic proposal remained on the table, although the timetable had been shortened from seven days to a possible two-day implementation period if its demands were met.
Contacts between the two countries have continued through intermediaries, including Qatar and Pakistan, despite the absence of a breakthrough.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and gas shipments, has remained severely disrupted since the war began in February.
