Summary
- Iran said it would not negotiate "under threat," making clear ahead of the end of the ceasefire that it would reject talks under US pressure.
- Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf criticized the US, saying it was trying to turn the negotiating table into a table of surrender through blockade measures and violations of the ceasefire agreement.
- He said Iran had spent the past two weeks preparing new cards on the battlefield, signaling the possibility of a military response, while the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran is due to expire at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on April 22, Reuters reported.
Forecast Trend Report by Period
Iran said it would not negotiate "under threat" ahead of the expiration of a ceasefire, underscoring its refusal to hold talks under US pressure.
Reuters reported on April 20 that Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X, "We will not accept negotiations conducted under the shadow of threats."
He also criticized the US, claiming Washington was trying to turn the negotiating table into a table of surrender by imposing blockades and violating the ceasefire agreement, or to create a pretext to restart the war.
Ghalibaf also signaled the possibility of a military response, writing that Iran had spent the past two weeks preparing to play new cards on the battlefield.
The remarks came ahead of the end of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran. Reuters said the truce is due to expire at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on April 22, or 9 a.m. in South Korea on April 23. The US has said it will send a negotiating team that includes Vice President JD Vance. Iran has not officially announced whether it will dispatch a delegation.
Lee Song-ryeol, Hankyung.com reporter yisr0203@hankyung.com
Korea Economic Daily
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