Iran's Parliament Speaker Criticizes Trump Over Peace Talks Pressure

Iran's Stance on US Peace Talks

Tehran: Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's Parliament, has expressed strong disapproval of US President Donald Trump's attempts to coerce Tehran into participating in the upcoming peace negotiations. Ghalibaf, who was the chief negotiator during the initial discussions with the US, emphasized that Iran will not engage in talks while under threat. He accused Trump of promoting conflict and cautioned him about potential 'new cards' that Iran could play in the ongoing situation. Ghalibaf stated on his social media account, 'Trump's actions, including imposing a blockade and breaching the ceasefire, aim to manipulate the negotiation process into one of capitulation or to rationalize further aggression.' He reiterated, 'We refuse to negotiate under the shadow of threats, and in the last two weeks, we have been preparing to unveil new strategies on the battlefield.'

Mojtaba Khamenei Approves Iranian Delegation for US Talks: Reports indicate that Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has authorized the negotiating team to head to Islamabad for the second round of discussions with the US. This approval was granted on the evening of April 20, as reported by Axios. Additionally, it is anticipated that US Vice President JD Vance will travel to Islamabad by Tuesday morning to engage in talks with Iran regarding a potential agreement to conclude the conflict. This news follows Iran's Foreign Ministry's earlier statement that the Iranian delegation would not engage in peace discussions with the US. The current ceasefire between the two nations is set to expire on April 22. On the same day, President Trump issued a warning to Iran, threatening military action if the deadline for negotiations is not met. Notably, the US has been awaiting a response from Tehran regarding its participation in the peace talks. The Axios report also suggested that Iran is delaying the second round of negotiations due to pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).