Iran Insists It Has Not Decided to Resume Negotiations with US

Iran has stressed that it has not yet decided to resume negotiations with the United States. Tehran said that ongoing communication with mediators such as Qatar and Pakistan cannot be interpreted as a continuation of negotiations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, as reported by Reuters and Anadolu Agency on Saturday (15/8/2026), dismissed reports suggesting that a 60-day ceasefire under the Islamabad memorandum required an extension. The Islamabad Memorandum refers to the memorandum of understanding agreed by Tehran and Washington in June, mediated by Pakistan.

“What is stated in the Islamabad memorandum is ending the war, not a ceasefire,” Araghchi told the ISNA news agency. “The United States has violated the memorandum, and fighting has resumed. Therefore, there is no 60-day ceasefire that needs to be extended,” the Iranian foreign minister stressed.

Araghchi explained that the 60-day period mentioned in the Islamabad Memorandum was intended as a timeframe for negotiations to reach a final agreement, not as a ceasefire duration. “Both Qatar and Pakistan continue to exchange messages and maintain communication with us, but that does not mean there are negotiations,” he said.

“No decision has been made to resume talks with the United States,” Araghchi asserted.

Araghchi added that negotiations with Oman are ongoing, but they are entirely separate from any discussions with the US. The Iranian foreign minister described the talks with Oman as technical negotiations focused on determining new shipping routes across the Strait of Hormuz, given that previous routes are no longer adequate.

“We are currently designing a temporary route that will later become a permanent route,” he said. He noted that experts from both countries and the Iranian Armed Forces are involved, with talks expected to conclude soon.

Furthermore, Araghchi emphasised that the technical negotiations regarding the Strait of Hormuz should not be conflated with the issue of reopening the strait. He also stressed that the US must first meet a number of conditions before shipping through the strategic waterway can resume operations.

“Once the route is established, the decision on reopening the Strait of Hormuz will depend on the fulfilment of other conditions that must be met by the United States,” he concluded.