Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has described negotiations with the United States as “meaningless”, accusing Washington of repeatedly attacking Iran after diplomatic engagements.
Pezeshkian said the pattern demonstrated that the US was not genuinely interested in dialogue but was instead seeking to undermine and ultimately overthrow Iran’s Islamic Republic.
“So far, they have attacked us three times after talks, and this shows that they are not seeking dialogue; rather, their goal is to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Pezeshkian was quoted as saying on Monday by Iran’s state news agency, IRNA.
He said continued US actions, including what he described as assassinations, sanctions, pressure and threats, had further eroded the possibility of meaningful negotiations.
“With an enemy that every day resorts to assassination, sanctions, pressure and threats, and that breaks its commitments, negotiations are meaningless,” he said.
The latest remarks come amid a prolonged conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel, which began in late February when Washington and Tel Aviv launched surprise attacks on Iran while the US and Tehran were engaged in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.
The warring sides reached a memorandum of understanding in June, establishing a framework for a permanent resolution to the conflict. However, the situation deteriorated after Iran launched attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting renewed US military operations.
Negotiations have effectively remained stalled since then, while recent indirect discussions between Washington and Tehran on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly failed to produce a breakthrough.
The United States has in recent weeks reduced its military operations and shifted greater emphasis towards economic pressure. Washington has not launched an attack on Iran since September 1.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday also ruled out a military solution to the conflict, warning that Tehran would mount a stronger defence if attacks resumed.
“There is no military solution, nor any solution based on new sanctions,” Araghchi said, insisting that only negotiations founded on “justice and fairness” could end the conflict.
The United States and Israel have maintained that their military campaign is aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, an objective Tehran has consistently denied pursuing.
However, the conflict soon expanded beyond the nuclear issue, with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz becoming a major international concern after its closure disrupted global energy markets.
Iran has sought to control traffic through the strategic waterway since the start of the war, attacking vessels it says attempted to transit without its authorisation. The United States has imposed a counterblockade on Iranian ports and has also attacked vessels it accuses of violating the restrictions.
According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a tanker was struck while attempting to transit the waterway on Sunday, while another vessel turned back on Monday after Iranian forces threatened to attack it.
