Iran Lawmaker Criticises Pakistan Nuclear Talks as 'Strategic Mistake'
Mahmoud Nabavian says raising Tehran's nuclear programme during Pakistan negotiations weakened Iran's position; Trump says time is running out for Tehran
Quick Look
- Iranian parliamentarian Mahmoud Nabavian has criticised negotiations with the US held in Pakistan, calling the decision to raise Tehran's nuclear programme a strategic mistake.
- Nabavian said Washington demanded Iran surrender its 60% enriched uranium stockpile for 20 years, which Tehran rejected.
- US President Trump responded defiantly, stating he has all the time in the world while Iran faces a ticking clock, with US military capabilities severely degraded and the blockade firmly in place.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The article discusses ongoing US-Iran tensions with negotiations taking place in Pakistan. The US has demanded Iran surrender its 60% enriched uranium stockpile for 20 years, which Tehran has rejected. Trump has maintained a hardline stance, asserting the blockade remains in place and Iran's military capabilities have been degraded.
A member of Iran's parliamentary national security and foreign policy committee, Mahmoud Nabavian, has criticised recent negotiations with the United States held in Pakistan, calling the decision to raise Tehran's nuclear programme a "strategic mistake."
In a video clip shared from an interview with SNN TV and later posted on X, Nabavian said that putting Iran's nuclear issue on the table during talks in Pakistan had weakened Tehran's position. "In the Pakistan negotiations, we made a strategic mistake. We should not have put the nuclear issue up for negotiation," he said, adding that "by doing so, the enemy became bolder," as translated by ANI.
According to Nabavian, Washington demanded that Iran's stockpile of 60 per cent enriched uranium be removed and frozen for 20 years; conditions he said Tehran rejected.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump struck a defiant tone, downplaying pressure to end the ongoing conflict. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was in no rush to reach an agreement and warned that time was working against Iran. "I have all the time in the world, but Iran doesn't — the clock is ticking," he wrote, asserting that Iran's military capabilities had been severely degraded and that a blockade against the country remained firmly in place. He added that any deal would be finalised only if it aligned with US interests and those of its allies.
Separately, a report by Politico noted that during hearings on Capitol Hill, senior US officials avoided committing to a timeline for easing energy prices. Some Republican lawmakers indicated that the 60-day mark in the conflict could be critical in determining their continued support.
Open Questions
- What specific concessions might Iran make?
- Will Pakistan continue hosting negotiations?
- When might sanctions be eased?
- What happens after the 60-day deadline?
