Iran Says It Won’t Sign Any Deal Without Its Rights

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Qalibaf, who is heading his country’s delegation in talks with the U.S., said this evening (Sunday): "Until we are certain that we have secured the rights of the people of Iran, we will not approve any agreement. The soldiers on the diplomatic battlefield do not trust the words of the enemy and its promises, and for us, the standard is tangible achievements."

Iran is demanding that, already in the memorandum of understandings, the U.S. commit to a withdrawal of forces, the lifting of the naval blockade, and the release of some of the frozen funds.

The National Security and Foreign Policy Committee in the Iranian Parliament issued a statement: "The words of the U.S. president are many, and everything he says is a lie aimed at achieving his own interests and controlling the global price of energy. The nuclear issue was not and will not be part of the negotiations, which are focused on a complete end to the war. Iran is currently negotiating to prevent a return to war, secure compensation payments, bring about the withdrawal of American forces from the region, and end the naval blockade."

It should be noted that earlier today, it was reported that U.S. President Donald Trump requested that several changes be made to the framework agreement his envoys had formulated with Iranian representatives. According to "Axios" and "The New York Times," Trump submitted the new demands after a discussion held Friday in the White House Situation Room, attended by senior members of his administration, which focused on efforts to bring the war in Iran to an end.

According to the reports, Trump wants an agreement and is even expecting to complete it soon, but he is seeking to strengthen several clauses he considers essential. At the center of the demands is the issue of Iran’s nuclear material, especially the question of its enriched uranium stockpiles, how they would be transferred or removed, and the timetable for doing so. A senior U.S. administration official told Axios that Trump is demanding "more details about how the U.S. would receive the material and about the timing."