Security personnel stand guard at a security checkpost along a road temporarily closed near the Serena Hotel at the Red Zone area in Islamabad on April 20, 2026, ahead of anticipated US-Iran peace talks. (Credit: Aamir Qureshi/AFP)
Iran's foreign ministry said Monday that the United States was not serious about pursuing diplomacy, citing what it called "violations" of their two-week cease-fire.
"While claiming diplomacy and readiness for negotiations, the U.S. is carrying out behaviors that do not in any way indicate seriousness in pursuing a diplomatic process," said ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai in a weekly press briefing.
He said a U.S. attack on an Iranian cargo ship early Monday, the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports, and delays in implementing a cease-fire in Lebanon were all "clear violations of the cease-fire."
Iran has been at war with Israel and the United States since Feb. 28 when strikes killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a region-wide war.
Tehran and Washington have since held a round of negotiations which failed to culminate in a deal to end the war. It took place against the backdrop of a precarious two-week cease-fire which began on April 8.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday he had ordered U.S. negotiators to travel to Pakistan on Monday to hold another round of talks, but Iran has yet to confirm its attendance.
"As of now, while I am at your service, we have no plans for the next round of negotiation, and no decision has been made in this regard," said Baghai.
Key sticking points include Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium and the status of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which was largely closed to U.S. and U.S.-allied cargo ships since the outbreak of the war. It was re-opened briefly during the cease-fire and then closed again following cited U.S. cease-fire violations.
"Regarding the issue of transferring enriched uranium, neither during this period of negotiations nor before has transferring it to the United States been discussed," Baghai said.
"It was never raised as an option for us," he added.
