"Never going to be an appeasement...": Iran affirms frozen assets issue integral to negotiations with US
Tehran, June 8
Iran on Monday reaffirmed that the issue of release of its frozen assets is on the table in peace negotiations with Washington, and that Tehran will pursue the demand in all ways it can, ISNA reported.
The remarks were made by Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei during a weekly press conference.
When asked about the reports that the US is seeking to confiscate frozen Iranian assets for the benefit of regional countries and that it would not release them before an agreement, Baghaei termed these claims as "propaganda pressure".
"These claims are part of the war, media and propaganda pressure from the opposing sides."
As per ISNA, he labelled the claims "ridiculous" and said, "This is a ridiculous claim because we are deeply indebted to all regional parties that in any way played a role in the aggression and crimes committed by the United States and Israel against Iran. We will pursue this demand in any way we can. The issue of Iran's frozen assets is one of the components of any understanding that is currently being negotiated, and there is never going to be any appeasement from Iran."
When asked if there was a break in negotiations before the latest slew of tensions in the region, Baghaei told the media that exchange of messages continued and added that Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi's recent visit assisted in continuing the conversations regarding mediation.
As per ISNA he said, "The exchange of messages continued, and one of the reasons for the Pakistani Interior Minister's presence in Tehran was to help continue the process of talks and carry out matters related to mediation."
His remarks come amid major military escalations over the last 24 hours, which have seen multi-city kinetic engagements, airstrikes on strategic installations, and heavy projectile salvos across the region.
Marking a sharp escalation in West Asia, Israel and Iran traded fire on Monday, their war's 100th day, putting its already fragile truce in serious jeopardy and threatening to reignite all-out regional war.
Compounding the maritime security matrix across regional choke points, the Iran-backed Houthis announced they were banning Israeli shipping on the Red Sea, a key shipping lane, The Jerusalem Post reported.
The latest round of kinetic actions, including one on an Iranian petrochemical complex and what Iran's Revolutionary Guard said was the targeting of two Israeli bases, came hours after President Trump reportedly called on Israel to refrain from retaliating against Tehran's missiles.The foundational breakdown of the cross-border truce infrastructure escalated after Israel launched airstrikes at Beirut's southern suburbs on Sunday, which led to Iran retaliating with its own strike on Israel, then to Monday's attacks and counterattacks.
This sudden re-eruption of hostilities has cast a foreboding shadow over diplomatic efforts to permanently end the war, which originally commenced on February 28. The kinetic escalation severely threatens to derail US President Donald Trump's last-ditch efforts to establish an off-ramp by negotiating a comprehensive nuclear deal with Tehran.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Iran's statement is quite strong—"never going to be an appeasement." But at what cost? The Houthis banning Israeli shipping on the Red Sea is alarming for global trade, especially for us in India. Our exports and oil imports depend heavily on that route. The US and Iran need to step back from the brink. Pakistan's role as mediator is interesting, given their own complex ties with both sides. I just hope diplomacy prevails before this escalates into a full-blown war. 🤞
The US confiscating frozen Iranian assets for "regional countries" sounds like more propaganda to me. Iran is right to call it ridiculous—who exactly are these regional countries supposed to benefit? The US has a history of using such tactics to pressure nations. But Israel and Iran trading fire again is scary. As an Indian, I'm concerned about our strategic partnerships. We have good relations with both Israel and Iran, so this puts us in a tight spot. The 100th day of war and no end in sight. Sad.
From a global perspective, this is a classic standoff. Iran wants its assets unfrozen as a sign of good faith, while the US sees it as a bargaining chip. The Houthi ban on Israeli shipping adds another layer of chaos. As someone who follows geopolitics, I think Pakistan's mediation is a positive step, but it may not be enough. Trump's last-ditch efforts for a nuclear deal seem unlikely to succeed with all this violence. The international community needs to step up more forcefully.
India's stance in all this should be clear—peace and dialogue above all. We have millions of citizens working in Gulf countries whose safety is at risk. The Iran-Israel conflict affects us directly through oil prices and remittances. Iran's frozen assets issue is legitimate, but the way they're linking it to everything else feels like a bargaining tactic. Pakistan's involvement is notable; maybe they
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