TEHRAN: Senior Iranian official Ebrahim Rezaei said on Thursday he holds reservations about the newly signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States, adding that Iran would continue talks but has tools and readiness for another confrontation.
The MoU was signed by U.S. President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian to end the Iran war on Wednesday. It took effect immediately. A signing ceremony was originally scheduled for Friday in Switzerland but was later canceled, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar confirmed to local media on Thursday.
Rezaei, the spokesperson for Iran's Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said past experiences and previous U.S. breaches of commitments make Iran deeply skeptical about American rhetoric.
"Personally I am not very optimistic about an agreement with the United States. The reason is their past breaches of commitments and our previous experiences. The two wars that were imposed on us over the past year both occurred while we were in the middle of negotiations with the Americans. Therefore, in Tehran we are also preparing ourselves for the possibility of another war. We do not believe what the Americans say and we act based on our own calculations," said Rezaei.
Despite Iran's skepticism, the country will not abandon diplomatic means and will continue to hold talks with the United States, Rezaei said.
"At the same time, we are using the option of negotiation and diplomacy, and we will continue to have talks with the Americans," he said.
Rezaei expressed hope that Iran's continued resolve throughout the conflict will deter the U.S. from taking further military action.
"What has become clear to the Americans is that we have the tools and the readiness both to escalate tensions in the region and to confront them if necessary. We have defensive power, and we can also make the situation difficult for them in other arenas," the spokesman said.
He warned that Iran's tactical positioning and regional influence had not been weakened by the conflict.
"Today, Iran’s strategic depth and power are greater than before, and we have the ability to impose our will on our enemies. The Americans should be careful not to make us angry," Rezaei said.
