WANA (Jul 27) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the United States is continuing to exchange messages with Tehran through mediators, stressing that Iran’s immediate priority remains defending its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and citizens against what he described as ongoing U.S. attacks. He also criticized Washington and several European countries, accusing the U.S. of violating its commitments, undermining diplomacy, and continuing military operations against Iran.

 

In an interview with Austria’s ORF television network, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said communication channels remain open through intermediaries and that the United States is exchanging messages with Iran. However, he emphasized that, as long as Iran is under attack, Tehran’s primary focus is defending the country and protecting its people. According to Baghaei, countries including Pakistan and Qatar are facilitating the exchange of messages between the two sides.

 

Criticism of U.S. Conduct Following the Agreement

Baghaei said Iran entered negotiations in good faith and eventually reached a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States aimed at ending the conflict and addressing several issues, including maritime security. He claimed that Washington failed to uphold its commitments from the outset and resumed military operations against Iran before the agreed 30-day implementation period had expired.

 

He added that Iran had fulfilled all of its obligations to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, but the United States launched a new military offensive against Iran, citing incidents involving commercial shipping in the waterway.

 

Strait of Hormuz and Maritime Security

Rejecting accusations that Iran was responsible for recent incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, Baghaei said the Islamic Republic had safeguarded the security of the strategic waterway for decades and argued that the current instability is the result of U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran.

He said Iran had committed to guaranteeing the safe transit of ships during a 30-day period, while the future management of the Strait was to be coordinated with Oman and other Gulf littoral states. He added that Iran cannot allow the strategic waterway to be used as a platform for attacks against its national security.

U.S. Commitments “Halted”

Addressing the issue of Iran’s frozen assets, Baghaei said one of Washington’s commitments under the MoU was to release Iranian funds blocked abroad, but implementation of that commitment was also suspended.

 

He stressed that the assets belong to Iran and that the United States was merely obligated to remove restrictions preventing Tehran from accessing its own funds.

 

“Diplomacy Was Betrayed for a Third Time”

Baghaei said this was the third time within the past year that Iran had been attacked while diplomatic efforts were underway. He described the Memorandum of Understanding as a clear and straightforward document, accusing the United States of violating its provisions and once again undermining diplomacy.

 

He emphasized that Iran is not opposed to negotiations but will not accept talks designed to impose demands on the country.

 

Criticism of Europe and the Nuclear Deal

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also criticized European countries, saying they failed to fulfill their commitments after the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement (JCPOA). He argued that Europe’s subsequent support for the reimposition of sanctions and alignment with Washington further damaged trust between Tehran and European capitals.

 

Baghaei described the JCPOA as one of Europe’s most significant diplomatic achievements and said support from some European governments for U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran has further eroded Iranian public confidence in Europe.

 

Criticism of Western Human Rights Policies

Baghaei also accused Western countries of applying double standards on human rights, arguing that the United States and Europe have adopted inconsistent positions regarding developments in the region, particularly the war in Gaza.

 

He further criticized Washington for what he described as pressure on international judicial institutions, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), following legal proceedings involving Israel. According to Baghaei, unconditional U.S. support for Israel has weakened the international legal system and international humanitarian law.

 

Concluding the interview, Baghaei said the Iranian people have never sought war and reiterated that while Iran remains committed to defending its sovereignty and national security, it continues to support genuine diplomacy based on mutual respect and adherence to commitments by all parties.