Iran deputy FM says ready to move forward in deal with US

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Friday that Iran is ready to move forward step by step in a deal with the United States, provided the other party demonstrates the same seriousness. His comments came in an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic, following the cancellation of talks between the US and Iran that were scheduled to take place in Switzerland on Friday.

The talks, which were to be held in Burgenstock, were mediated by Pakistan and Qatar. They were intended to begin negotiations on a range of issues outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the US and Iran earlier this week. Reports suggest that the talks were called off after intense Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon on Friday. Lebanon's health ministry reported that Israeli attacks killed at least 47 people since midnight.

In his interview, Khatibzadeh denounced the latest Israeli attacks in Lebanon, warning that Israel's "continued war-making" would have "serious and immediate consequences." He emphasized that Iran is seeking "peace on all fronts, including Gaza" and explained that Lebanon was included in the MoU due to its direct connection to the conflict. Article 1 of the MoU explicitly states that ending the war in Lebanon is an integral part of the broader ceasefire arrangement across all fronts.

"There will be no peace or stability in Lebanon and the region without ending the occupation and Israel's commitment to international law," Khatibzadeh added. Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, he said Iran would continue to provide navigation services in coordination with Oman and in accordance with international law. He added that Tehran would not impose passage fees during the 60-day period outlined by the agreement, but a new mechanism for managing the waterway would be introduced afterwards and presented to regional countries.

Khatibzadeh also stated that any future agreement must include the release of all frozen Iranian funds. According to Mehr News Agency, the deputy foreign minister's remarks underscore Iran's conditional readiness to engage with the US while condemning Israeli actions in Lebanon.