Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the Islamabad Agreement did not set a 60-day deadline, clarifying that the period was intended for discussions on various issues, including the nuclear matter.<\/p>\n
Baghaei said negotiations could not begin because of what he described as \u201cflagrant and widespread violations\u201d by the United States.<\/p>\n
Baqaei said the MoU instead envisaged a 60-day period for negotiations on two key issues, the lifting of sanctions and Iran\u2019s nuclear programme. He added that the period could have been extended if the two sides failed to reach an agreement.<\/p>\n
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However, he said negotiations never began because of what he called the US' \u201cflagrant and widespread violation\u201d of the memorandum.<\/p>\n
\u201cDue to the flagrant and widespread violation of the memorandum of understanding by the United States, no dialogue was started just a few weeks after its signing,\u201d Baqaei said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a result, the discussion of the 60-day deadline completely lost its relevance,\u201d he said as quoted by Anadolu Agency.<\/p>\n
Baqaei claimed that US sanctions had \u201cno impact\u201d on Iran and said the main obstacle to resolving disputes between Tehran and Washington was not a lack of mediators.<\/p>\n
He pointed to Pakistan and Qatar as countries already playing a role in Iran-US relations.<\/p>\n
Baqaei also said some European countries had naturally expressed their views and offered their \u201cgood offices\u201d through bilateral contacts.<\/p>\n
However, he clarified that this did not mean a new mediator had emerged or been accepted in Iran-US relations.<\/p>\n
Baqaei said negotiations with Oman over maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz were continuing.<\/p>\n
He said preparing a maritime traffic route map with Oman had taken time because of security complications caused by actions by the US and Israel, multiple actors in the region and what he described as disruptive activities.<\/p>\n
According to Baqaei, any understanding reached with Muscat could take the form of a package containing a roadmap and a joint statement.<\/p>\n
The Iranian spokesperson also said Tehran continued to pursue the fate of Iranian pilots who went missing during the conflict.<\/p>\n