US-Iran talks remain stalled

Hopes fade as Tehran rejects 'imposed negotiations', Washington pulls envoys

Hopes for a rapprochement between the United States and Iran faded further at the start of a new week, as face-to-face talks to end the two-month conflict remain deadlocked, with both sides firmly clinging to their respective preconditions.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian told Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif via phone on Saturday night that Tehran will never accept "imposed negotiations" conducted under military threats and a maritime blockade, according to an official statement.

Washington should first remove "operational obstacles" to clear the way for a new round of substantive talks, Pezeshkian said.