TEHRAN, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Tehran has called its decision not to take part in the second round of peace talks with the United States in Pakistan as "definitive," Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said Tuesday.
The decision was announced shortly before U.S. President Donald Trump said he would extend the ceasefire to allow more time for negotiations, as the current two-week truce is set to expire on Wednesday night.
Tasnim said the Pakistani mediator has been informed of Iran's decision, which has been made aiming to completely protect the Iranian people's rights.
The report noted that, despite propaganda and rumors spread by U.S. media and officials, the Iranian negotiating team will not travel to Pakistan for talks on Wednesday for various reasons already relayed to the United States through Pakistan.
Tasnim said the United States has continued its naval blockade against Iran and made what it described as "excessive demands" in recent exchanges between the two sides, which it said prevented significant progress. It added that U.S. naval pressure, including the blockade and other "hostile actions," along with what it described as breaches of commitments, hindered Iran's participation in the next round of talks in Islamabad.
Trump said the United States had agreed to delay a planned strike on Iran to give Tehran time to come up with a "unified proposal" ahead of possible negotiations.
Meanwhile, Mahdi Mohammadi, the Iranian parliament speaker's advisor on strategic affairs, said after Trump's Truth Social post on Tuesday that the ceasefire extension announced by Trump is a "ploy" to buy time for a surprise attack, warning that continued U.S. pressure at sea would require a response.
Delegations from Iran and the United States had been expected to hold the second round of their peace talks in Pakistan this week. The two countries held their first round of talks on April 11-12 in Islamabad, and the negotiation failed. ■
