A senior Iranian security official says Tehran will no longer rely on “paper commitments” from the United States and must see concrete actions from Washington before opening a new chapter in diplomacy.
Deputy Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Bagheri Kani made the remarks in an interview with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) on Friday.
“It is the Islamic Republic of Iran’s right not to settle for US commitments on paper when considering entering a new phase of diplomacy,” he said.
“We must see practical measures by the Americans, and this is only natural. Once these actions are implemented, the groundwork will be laid for a new diplomatic opening.”
He emphasized that Iran’s seven-condition operational proposal should be implemented by the other side in any negotiations before further steps are pursued.
Bagheri noted that the United States had derailed four rounds of diplomatic efforts through “hostile” actions and breaches of commitments over the past year and a half.
Tensions between Iran and the US remain high. The latest round of US-Israeli attacks on Iran began on February 28, prompting Tehran to launch daily missile and drone strikes against US and Israeli military targets across the region before Tehran and Washington signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 17.
However, the MoU collapsed within nearly three weeks after the US violated its commitments, launched fresh strikes on Iran's southern provinces and prompted Iran to stage another wave of retaliatory missile and drone attacks and re-impose restrictions over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran-Russia strategic cooperation
Pointing to the day-long visit by the SNSC Secretary Major General Mohsen Rezaei to Russia and his "three-hour" meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Bagheri said engagement with international powers is a key component of Iran’s active and targeted diplomacy.
“As part of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s purposeful and active diplomacy for consultations and exchange of views with other regional and extra-regional actors, engagement with international powers is one of the main components at the current juncture,” the security official reiterated.
During a meeting at the Kremlin, Rezaei delivered a message from Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei to the Russian president.
"The message outlined the Islamic Republic of Iran’s priorities for bilateral cooperation and set out a vision for the future of such cooperation and engagement, with the aim of giving the Russian side a clearer understanding of what cooperation with Iran would look like under the leadership of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei," added Bagheri.
Rezaei and Putin also discussed bilateral strategic relations, regional and international developments, and prospects for expanding cooperation.
Bagheri further explained that Iran and Russia had maintained diverse forms of cooperation for decades, adding that strategic projects between the two countries would thwart the “wishful thinking” of certain powers, including the United States, seeking to exert pressure on Iran.
The implementation of strategic projects between Tehran and Moscow would make other countries increasingly dependent on Iran, he added.
The SNSC deputy chief said that regional security arrangements were currently supported by Russia, China and countries across the region, stressing the need to create the conditions for their implementation through consultations with various regional actors.
“It is natural that, in order to pursue the lofty goals of the Islamic Republic of Iran and protect our national interests, national security, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity, we must be prepared,” Bagheri added.
He stressed the need for a strategic approach to regional affairs, security-building and regional security arrangements, saying Iran must work to elevate its position as one of the world's important powers through wise measures and strategic guidelines of Ayatollah Khamenei.
“Within this framework, we must be able to steer our efforts and continue our strategic consultations with various countries and actors, particularly international powers, including two major powers, Russia and China,” Bagheri pointed out.
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