Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian is signaling a willingness to pursue lasting peace through diplomatic channels, openly supporting a recent memorandum of understanding with the United States. The Iranian leader defended the agreement, arguing it offers the best path for his country to move beyond a precarious “neither war nor peace” scenario, according to the Associated Press.
Defending the Deal
Speaking in a speech published by state-run IRNA, Pezeshkian rejected criticism that the deal amounts to capitulation. He stated there is not a single provision in the agreement that amounts to capitulation.
“The supreme leader sets the policies, and we will follow that path,” the president said.
Officials in Tehran have faced pressure from domestic factions regarding the talks. While a section of moderates in the political establishment views the current moment as an opportune time to hold discussions and end the war, international reports indicate that hardliners within the establishment are in favor of prolonging the conflict. This divergence in opinion adds a layer of complexity to the negotiations, as the country enters its sixth month of hostilities.
The broader terms of a potential peace deal were originally scheduled to be finalized within 60 days of the June agreement. However, that deadline has passed without significant progress, largely due to disagreements over the management of the Strait of Hormuz. A fifth of the world’s energy cargoes moved through the waterway before the conflict began, but Iran shut the route after the ceasefire collapsed. This disruption led to a surge in oil prices, which at one time hit 120 a barrel and stoked inflationary concerns worldwide.
Shifting Stance
Iran has made its intentions to charge a fee for ship passage through the Strait clear, a move that prompted the Donald Trump-led US administration to enforce a naval blockade of the country. This blockade left little room for mediators to bring the warring sides back to the negotiating table.
Pezeshkian also acknowledged the economic hardships caused by the Middle East conflict, which intensified following US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. He stated the Islamic Republic couldn’t attract investment in this stalled phase, highlighting the domestic toll of the prolonged standoff.
Around the same time, Field Marshal Asim Munir, the army chief of Pakistan, will visit Tehran with an official on Monday. The visit was part of Islamabad’s ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions between the US and Iran, according to a report by Iranian state television quoting Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei.