TEHRAN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Sunday that talks between Iran and the United States in Pakistan failed to reach an agreement, with both sides diverging on some key issues.
He made the remarks in an interview with Iran's state-run IRIB TV at the end of the marathon peace talks between delegations from Iran and the United States in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, which ran over the weekend.
Baghaei said, "This round of negotiations was the longest one during the past year, which lasted about 24 or 25 hours."
He stressed that diplomacy, which never ends, is a tool to protect national interests.
Baghaei said the talks were held after nearly 40 days of fighting, in an atmosphere of suspicion and distrust. "Thus, it was natural that these negotiations were not expected to come to fruition in one meeting."
He described the issues discussed as "complicated," noting that certain new issues, such as the Strait of Hormuz, were added to the negotiations, each with its own complexities.
In a post on social media platform X on Sunday, Baghaei listed some of the main negotiation topics, including "the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear issue, war reparations, lifting of sanctions, and the complete end to the war against Iran and in the region."
He added that numerous messages and texts were exchanged between the two sides, assuring that "the Iranian negotiators are employing all their capabilities, experience, and knowledge to safeguard Iran's rights and interests."
Baghaei said Iran is determined to utilize all tools, including diplomacy, to secure national interests and protect the country's well-being. He stressed that the country has not forgotten the U.S. "breaches of promise and malicious acts," and will not forgive the "heinous crimes" committed by the United States and Israel.
He added that the success of the renewed diplomatic process depends on the "seriousness and good faith of the opposing side," calling on the U.S. to refrain from excessive demands and unlawful requests, and accept Iran's legitimate rights and interests.
The talks between the Iranian and U.S. delegations in Islamabad aimed to ease tensions in the Middle East following a ceasefire reached early Wednesday among Iran, the United States and Israel. ■
