Iran says US must take concrete steps before new diplomatic talks

Iran will no longer rely solely on written commitments from the US and expects concrete actions before entering a new phase of diplomacy, a senior Iranian security official said Friday. Ali Bagheri, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Washington had repeatedly disrupted negotiations by violating its commitments over the past 18 months, according to the Iranian state news agency IRNA. “Iran must see practical actions by the US with its own eyes,” Bagheri said, adding that a new diplomatic opening would become possible only after such steps were taken.

Bagheri also provided details of Thursday’s meeting between Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, saying the talks lasted approximately three hours. He said the primary purpose of Rezaei’s visit was to deliver a message from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei outlining Tehran’s priorities and vision for bilateral cooperation with Russia. The message was intended to clarify the prospects for Iran-Russia relations under Khamenei’s leadership, he added.

Bagheri also highlighted strategic projects, including the proposed transfer of Russian natural gas to Iran and the International North-South Transport Corridor, saying they could strengthen economic cooperation and reduce Washington’s ability to pressure Tehran. His remarks come amid diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Tehran and Washington following the US-Israeli military offensive against Iran that began on Feb. 28. The two sides have held indirect negotiations through regional mediators, with disagreements over security arrangements and the implementation of commitments continuing to complicate diplomatic efforts.