Iran has not given an official response to the US’s indefinite ceasefire declaration on the 22nd
Iranian President welcomes dialogue but criticizes sanctions and threats
Iranian negotiator condemns US blockade, says reopening of Hormuz is difficult
Iran’s foreign ministry avoids direct answer on ceasefire extension, states it will protect national interests and security
On the 22nd of this month (local time), Iranian governmental figures avoided giving an official response to the US’s declaration of an indefinite ceasefire while asserting the possibility of dialogue with the US. They expressed that the US should cease controlling the Strait of Hormuz and stop threatening the Iranian government.
Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of Iran, stated on social media platform X on the 22nd, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always welcomed dialogue and agreements and will continue to do so.” He pointed out, “The malicious distrust, sanctions, and threats are the major obstacles to genuine negotiations.” Pezeshkian criticized by saying, “The world is witnessing your (America’s) hypocritical rhetoric and watching the contradictions between your claims and actions.”
In response to attacks by the US and Israel in February, Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz and started a ceasefire with the US on the 7th of last month. The US requested Iran completely reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and when this was not fulfilled, from the 13th, the US began seizing or rerouting Iranian-related vessels traveling to and from Hormuz and nearby Iranian ports. By the 22nd, the US had ordered 29 ships near Iran to change their courses or go to different ports.
Due to these US blockade measures, Iran did not dispatch a delegation to the second armistice negotiations that were set to occur on the 22nd in Islamabad, Pakistan. Despite the US’s declaration of an indefinite ceasefire on the 22nd, Iran seized three merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz on the same day.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led the Iranian delegation in the first armistice negotiations on the 11th, mentioned the ceasefire in his X post on the 22nd. He stressed, “A complete ceasefire only makes sense when maritime blockades and holding the global economy hostage cease,” and called for “the warlike behavior of Zionists (Israel) on all fronts to stop.” He firmly stated, “Re-opening the Strait of Hormuz is impossible in a situation where blatant ceasefire violations continue.”
Pakistan, which mediated the ceasefire between the US and Iran, found itself in a difficult situation as Iran did not officially respond to the US’s ceasefire extension declaration. According to Iran’s state-run IRIB broadcaster, Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s efforts to end the war at a briefing on the 22nd. However, regarding Pakistan’s request for a ceasefire extension, he emphasized, “The Islamic Republic of Iran was not the starting point of the forced war,” and maintained that all of Iran’s military actions are “exercises of rightful self-defense against the military aggression of the US and the Zionist regime (Israel).”
He declared, “Iran is closely monitoring the current battlefield situation and the development of the political phase, and it will take all necessary measures to protect its national interests and security.”
IRIB explained that this announcement is the only official response from the Iranian government regarding Pakistan’s ceasefire extension request and stated that no additional stance has been expressed by other senior officials so far.