Esmail Baqaei, the spokesperson for the Islamic Republic’s diplomatic apparatus, on Wednesday responded to US President Donald Trump’s renewed claims about negotiations with Iran.
During a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Washington on Tuesday, Trump repeated his previous claims, saying that Iran is “desperately seeking a deal.”
Baqaei, referring to Washington’s record of repeated breaches and excessive demands, said that—as the foreign minister has repeatedly stressed—talks with a party that does not believe in the reciprocity of negotiations, boasts of its military aggression against Iran and the killing of Iranian children, and is clearly seeking to impose its own dictates, are not justifiable.
In response to another question about a message sent by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—and whether it was linked to the crown prince’s visit to Washington—Baqaei said the message, delivered by the new head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, was purely bilateral in nature.
It expressed Iran’s appreciation to Saudi Arabia for the services provided to Iranian pilgrims during last year’s Hajj and highlighted the importance of continued cooperation and coordination to ensure the successful organization of this year’s pilgrimage.
