TEHRAN, April 23: Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Wednesday that diplomacy remains a tool to safeguard national interests and will only be pursued when conditions align with Iran's interests.
In a statement, Baghaei thanked Pakistan for its mediation efforts, saying Iran's actions were taken in self-defense to counter U.S. and Israeli military aggression.
He said Iran is closely monitoring battlefield and political developments while taking necessary measures to protect its national interests and security.
The statement added that Iran would safeguard its legitimate rights, pursue legal accountability for the acts of aggression, and seek compensation for war damage.
Attack on Iran’s Natanz plant muddies US, Iran nuke talks
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According to Fars News Agency, Baghaei also said attacks on and seizure of Iranian commercial vessels do not reflect the behavior of a country seriously engaged in diplomacy.
He noted that Iran has not announced participation in a second round of talks, adding that any decision on holding negotiations in Islamabad would depend on whether it serves national interests.
The U.S. Department of War said Tuesday that its forces boarded an oil tanker previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude. The vessel was located in the Indian Ocean, between Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
The incident came after U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that U.S. forces had intercepted and taken custody of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named Touska, which was trying to bypass its naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman.
A ceasefire between the warring parties took effect on April 8 after 40 days of fighting. Trump said Tuesday he will extend the ceasefire with Iran as the current two-week truce is set to expire on Wednesday night.
Pakistan has mediated indirect talks between Tehran and Washington, hosting the first round in Islamabad on April 11-12. Iran's Tasnim news agency said Tuesday that Tehran's decision not to take part in the second round of talks with the United States in Pakistan on Wednesday is "definitive."
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