Iran says preliminary deal is ‘America’s declaration of failure’

“The Islamabad Agreement is not the result of pressure and coercion, but the result of the resistance and authority of the heroic Iranian people,” Iranian Parliament Chairman Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on June 24 about the agreement to end the conflict with the US.

“That is why the Islamabad agreement has become a declaration of America’s failure,” Mr. Ghalibaf said, adding that the issue of political order and security in the Middle East must be guaranteed by countries in the region, rejecting outside interference.

“We consider the withdrawal of foreign troops from the region a strategic goal,” the Iranian National Assembly Speaker said, adding that this force not only does not create sustainable security but is also “a source of instability.”

Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi said on the same day that the negotiations that the country is brokering between the US and Iran are expected to resume next week, although he did not provide details on the location.

Iran and the United States on June 17 signed a memorandum of understanding to end the conflict that has caused chaos across the Middle East and shaken the leading economy, paving the way for 60 days of negotiations to resolve issues such as Iran’s nuclear program and lift sanctions.

Despite reaching an agreement, both sides continue to attack the other. While Iran declared that the agreement represented a “failure” for the United States, President Donald Trump asserted that this was a “victory” for Washington, while rejecting criticism aimed at the agreement.