U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted at the possibility of resuming military action against Iran, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi countered that final negotiations will not begin as long as U.S. threats persist.
On July 7, Araghchi posted a photo on social media platform X of the massive crowd attending the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He wrote, "Millions of proud Iranians united to honor the great Ayatollah Khamenei and his legacy. They and our brave military will not be shaken by any threats."
Seemingly addressing Trump, he added, "MOU Article 13 is clear. Negotiations for a final agreement will not begin as long as threats continue. You must honor what you signed."
The MOU Article 13 stipulates that negotiations for a final agreement will commence only after key provisions, such as the lifting of maritime blockades, resumption of navigation, sanctions relief, and the use of frozen assets, are implemented and maintained. Thus, Iran maintains that the U.S. must cease sanctions and threats before engaging in final agreement negotiations.
Earlier, Trump spoke to reporters at the White House regarding peace negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, stating, "We will either reach an agreement or end it. Ending it is not difficult," while expressing his desire for a deal. He added, "I do not want to affect the 91 million (Iranian) people." He also mentioned, "We could destroy their bridges within an hour and cut off their energy supply," asserting, "They have no money now. We have not given them a dime."
Last week, the U.S. and Iran held indirect negotiations in Qatar, where the U.S. proposed the release of frozen funds. However, Iran maintained its position on controlling the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in no significant progress. Both countries plan to hold follow-up negotiations after the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Khamenei.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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