Iran Dismisses US 60-Day Talks Deadline as ‘No Longer Relevant’

TEHRAN, Aug 17: Iran said that the 60-day period outlined in a June memorandum of understanding with the United States has “lost its relevance” following what Tehran described as repeated US violations of the agreement.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the memorandum did not establish a fixed 60-day deadline and that Iran would not formulate its policies under pressure, ultimatums or imposed time limits.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran never formulates its policies under pressure, ultimatums or time limits,” Baqaei told reporters at a weekly news conference, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

He said the memorandum had instead envisaged a 60-day period for negotiations on two issues — the lifting of sanctions and Iran’s nuclear program — and that the period could have been extended if no agreement was reached.

Baqaei said negotiations failed to begin after the memorandum was signed because of what he called the “flagrant and widespread violation” of the agreement by Washington.

“As a result, the discussion of the 60-day deadline completely lost its relevance,” he said.

Meanwhile, Baqaei said negotiations with Oman over maritime transit arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz were continuing. He attributed delays in finalizing a maritime traffic route map to security complications linked to US and Israeli actions, multiple actors in the area and what he described as disruptions to maritime traffic.