Iran Ready for Diplomacy but Will Protect National Rights, Says President Pezeshkian

Tehran, May 2026 : Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Tehran remains prepared to pursue diplomatic efforts to end the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel, while firmly safeguarding the rights and interests of the Iranian people.

During a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, Pezeshkian stressed that Iran preferred dialogue and peaceful engagement but expressed serious mistrust towards Washington due to recent military actions carried out during ongoing negotiations.

According to a statement released by the Iranian President’s office, Pezeshkian accused the United States of undermining diplomatic efforts by launching attacks on Iran even while bilateral talks were underway.

He described the actions as “stabbing Iran in the back” and said such moves had significantly damaged trust between the two sides.

The conversation between Pezeshkian and Macron came amid growing international speculation about a possible agreement between Tehran and Washington to end the conflict that has destabilised the Gulf region for weeks.

Earlier in the day, Axios reported that the United States and Iran were moving closer to a one-page framework agreement intended to halt hostilities and restore regional stability.

According to the report, the proposed understanding could include Iran agreeing to suspend uranium enrichment activities for a fixed period, while the United States would ease sanctions imposed on Tehran. The deal could also involve both countries reducing restrictions on shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

However, Iranian authorities have pushed back strongly against suggestions that a final agreement is imminent.

Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency dismissed recent international media reports as “fabricated”, claiming they were designed to manipulate global financial markets and bring down oil prices rather than accurately portray the status of negotiations.

The agency, citing unnamed sources, stated that Iran had not exchanged any new written communications with the United States and had not yet responded to the latest American proposal delivered through Pakistan.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei also confirmed that Tehran was still carefully reviewing the US proposal and would issue a formal response only after completing its assessment.

The latest diplomatic developments come after months of intense conflict in the region.

The crisis escalated on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities. The strikes reportedly killed senior Iranian officials and military figures, triggering retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Iran against Israeli and US-linked targets in the region.

The confrontation also disrupted maritime activity in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy routes.

Following 40 days of hostilities, Iran, the United States and Israel agreed to a ceasefire on April 8.

Subsequently, Iranian and US delegations met for peace talks in Islamabad on April 11 and 12. However, those negotiations failed to produce a breakthrough agreement.

Since then, both sides have reportedly exchanged multiple proposals through indirect diplomatic channels in an effort to reach a settlement and avoid renewed military escalation.

Despite the cautious optimism emerging from some international reports, Iranian leaders continue to insist that any agreement must fully protect the country’s sovereignty, national security and nuclear rights.

Pezeshkian reiterated that while Iran remained open to diplomacy, it would not compromise on what he described as the legitimate rights of the Iranian nation.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)