Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian today offered a clear olive branch to the United States. He said Iran is ready to respond positively right away if Washington returns to the commitments it made in a June agreement meant to end the fighting between the two countries.
Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan, Pezeshkian stated: “I state explicitly that if the United States returns to its commitments under the aforementioned memorandum of understanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately take reciprocal action.”
The June deal was an interim agreement aimed at stopping hostilities that began earlier this year. Both sides later accused each other of breaking the terms, and the agreement fell apart. One major sticking point remains the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for world oil supplies. Iran has kept it closed but says it will reopen the strait if the United States also fulfills its part of the deal.
Pezeshkian’s comments come just as he prepares to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the same summit. The two leaders are expected to discuss their close partnership and regional issues.
Recent days have seen renewed exchanges of fire between Iran and the United States after more than a month of relative calm. Pezeshkian stressed that Iran has a strong record of keeping its international promises and remains open to a negotiated solution.