Baqaei: Commitments violations to be met with reciprocal measures

Pars Today — Rejecting claims that Iran has requested negotiations with the United States, the spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that the Islamic Republic’s policy remains based on the principle of “commitment in exchange for commitment,” and that any violation of obligations by Washington will be met with reciprocal action.

According to Pars Today, citing IRIB News Agency, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Friday evening in an interview with the World Today program on Iran’s News Network, in response to a question about U.S. officials’ claims regarding negotiations and the ceasefire:

“We have made no request for negotiations with the United States. However, in line with our longstanding responsible approach, we did not reject the request of one of the regional mediators to visit Iran and discuss the latest developments. The visit took place in Mashhad on Friday, and we conveyed our views and positions to the Qatari side.”

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson further noted:

“One point that everyone should pay attention to is that the United States’ breach of commitments has become habitual. The memorandum of understanding, signed only twenty-two days ago, has repeatedly faced violations of various clauses by the United States.”

Baqaei added: “The developments that took place on Wednesday and Thursday constituted a blatant violation of Articles One and Two of the memorandum of understanding. The announcement concerning the cancellation of measures related to Iran’s oil sales was yet another clear breach of one of the memorandum’s provisions, while the recent announcement regarding the imposition of new sanctions also represents a direct violation of Article Nine.”

“Out of these fourteen articles, the American side has violated various provisions under different pretexts. In this regard, we should not be overly surprised, because breaching commitments has long been part of the behavioral pattern of successive U.S. administrations.”

He continued: “From the very beginning, we clearly and explicitly stated our principle: commitment in exchange for commitment. This means that we will not implement any commitment without receiving something in return. If the other side violates its obligations—which it has done—the Islamic Republic of Iran will likewise take the necessary reciprocal measures, and it has already done so. This is the approach that will continue in the future as well.”