Iran Will Not Negotiate Under US Pressure, Says UN Ambassador

Iran has never negotiated under threat or pressure and will never be subjugated to such, said Iran’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, on Wednesday (10/6). “Iran has never negotiated under threat and pressure and will never succumb to pressure,” Iravani stated during a United Nations Security Council session on the Middle East. He stressed that if Washington is genuinely interested in a diplomatic solution, it must abandon the language of threat and engage in dialogue with Iran based on mutual respect and sovereign equality. Earlier the same day, Axios reported that US President Donald Trump held a meeting to discuss new airstrike operations against Iran after vowing to continue hostile action over stalled negotiations. The president also said Iran had delayed the talks, and that Tehran “must pay the price.” The statement came after US Central Command reported that US forces had conducted strikes against the Islamic Republic in response to attacks on Apache helicopters. On 28 February, the United States and Israel launched strikes against targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran subsequently responded to the brutal attacks by striking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East. Later, on 7 April, Washington and Tehran announced a ceasefire. However, subsequent talks held in Islamabad ended without a breakthrough.