Iran Negotiator Says Military Response, Talks Both Possible Depending on Situation

JH Kim

Summary

Iran's chief negotiator said both military action and negotiations remain possible in dealing with the U.S.
He said talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, lasted about 21 hours and ended without an agreement.
With Middle East tensions still elevated, progress in the talks and the scale of response remain key variables.

Forecast Trend Report by Period

Iran's chief negotiator said Tehran is open to both military retaliation and negotiations in dealing with the U.S., reaffirming that its response will depend on how the situation develops.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on June 12, citing Walter Bloomberg, "If they fight, we will respond, and if they approach with logic, we will respond with logic."

The negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan, ran for about 21 hours from the afternoon of June 11 to early June 12, but ended without an agreement.

With tensions in the Middle East still elevated, whether the talks make progress and how far any response goes remain key variables. Any shift in the positions of the two sides will be closely watched.