Tehran, August 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Tehran remains willing to negotiate with the United States but continues to view Washington with caution, stressing that Iran will honour its commitments only if the other side does the same.
Pezeshkian made the remarks during a televised interview on Friday night while responding to questions about whether diplomatic efforts could revive the peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Iran and the US in June and help restore Iran’s rights.
“We can move forward” if Iran’s actions are met with reciprocal and proportional measures from the other side, the Iranian President said, while acknowledging that the two countries might not achieve all their objectives.
Under the June MoU, the US was expected to lift a naval blockade as well as sanctions on Iranian oil and petrochemical exports, and release Iranian frozen assets. Pezeshkian said Iran had exported nearly 90 million barrels of oil during the period when the agreement was being implemented, Xinhua News Agency reported.
“The main issue is that we must be committed to the MoU we have written. When we sit down at the negotiating table, we can talk to them,” he said.
Iran and the US signed the agreement on June 18, with the two sides scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days to work towards a final agreement. The deadline expired on August 17, but the future of the talks remains uncertain following an escalation between the two countries last month.
Pezeshkian’s comments came as Iran continues to face significant economic pressures.
In a separate message marking Government Week, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei called for serious attention to economic and livelihood challenges, including inflation, unemployment and price and market management.
Khamenei stressed the need for stronger economic growth, increased investment and higher domestic production, describing reliance on local production as key to addressing the country’s economic difficulties. He said imports should be used “properly and wisely” where domestic production cannot meet demand.
He also called for national unity and social cohesion, warning against statements that could create hopelessness and weaken public morale.
The developments come amid intensified US economic pressure on Iran. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump announced what he called “the most crushing economic operation ever taken” against countries providing a lifeline to Iran, describing it as “Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale”.
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