Iran's president stresses importance of diplomacy while noting distrust of US

DUBAI, Apr 20: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said today that every rational and diplomatic path should be used to reduce tensions with the US, but added that vigilance and distrust in interactions with Washington were an "undeniable necessity", according to the state news agency IRNA.

A two-week ceasefire between Iran and the US is set to expire on Wednesday, with US representatives set to reach Islamabad for Iran negotiations today, while Tehran has yet to announce whether it will send a delegation to Pakistan.

Iranian state TV quoted an unnamed informed source as saying there were no plans for a second round of negotiations due to the US' "excessive and irrational" demands as well as its changing stances.

Both Iran and the US have accused each other of violating the ceasefire. Pezeshkian said the US blockade showed that Washington was moving toward "repeating previous patterns and betraying diplomacy", according to state TV.

AFP adds, Iran's foreign ministry said Monday that the United States was not serious about pursuing diplomacy, citing what it called "violations" of their two-week ceasefire.

"While claiming diplomacy and readiness for negotiations, the US is carrying out behaviours that do not in any way indicate seriousness in pursuing a diplomatic process," said ministry spokesman EsmaeilBaqaei in a weekly press briefing.

He said a US attack on an Iranian cargo ship early Monday, the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, and delays in implementing a ceasefire in Lebanon were all "clear violations of the ceasefire".    �" REUTERS, AFP