
Iranian Foreign Minister: Iran, Not US, Will Decide How to End Conflict
Iran signaled a firm refusal to enter negotiations with the United States as the conflict continues, with its foreign minister declaring Wednesday that Tehran has no intention of engaging in talks.
The remarks, delivered by Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and broadcast by state media, came as American strikes on Iranian targets persist.
“We do not plan on any negotiations,” the minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said, signaling a hardline stance despite reports of indirect diplomatic contacts.
Iran has also dismissed a U.S.-supported 15-point proposal aimed at ending the fighting, describing it as unreasonable and unacceptable, according to regional sources and officials familiar with the matter.
Instead, Tehran has put forward its own five-point outline for bringing the conflict to a close.
The Iranian proposal calls for a complete cessation of hostilities, assurances that fighting will not resume, an end to targeted assassinations, compensation for damages caused by the war, and acknowledgment of Iran’s role in safeguarding the Strait of Hormuz.
Officials in Tehran maintain that the competing proposals from both sides cannot be reconciled.
A senior Iranian official told international media that Washington lacks the authority to impose an outcome and that Tehran will determine “how to end the conflict” based on its own conditions.
Observers say these statements underscore a growing disconnect between Iran’s public rejection of talks and U.S. assertions that diplomatic channels remain active behind the scenes.
Donald Trump has said his administration is involved in “constructive” discussions intended to bring the war to an end, now entering its fourth week.
While Iranian leaders deny that formal negotiations are taking place, diplomatic sources indicate that communication is continuing through intermediaries in countries such as Pakistan and Turkey.
The conflict erupted on February 28, when U.S. and Israeli forces launched widespread strikes on Iranian assets, triggering retaliatory attacks by Iran throughout the region.
Since then, the confrontation has included missile barrages, disruptions to maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, and military actions across several countries.
At the same time, Iran’s military capabilities have been significantly weakened.
A U.S. proposal reportedly included restrictions on Iran’s nuclear and missile activities in exchange for easing sanctions.
Tehran has refused to negotiate under what it describes as pressure created by ongoing military action.
Iranian leadership insists that talks cannot occur while strikes continue, a stance Amir-Abdollahian repeated on Wednesday.
It remains uncertain whether the current indirect exchanges could eventually develop into formal negotiations.
There is also ongoing uncertainty regarding which figures within Iran’s leadership hold the authority to decide on ending the war.
For now, both sides appear to be advancing on two tracks simultaneously — escalating military operations while maintaining limited diplomatic contact — leaving the chances for a negotiated resolution unclear.