Iran has completely lost trust in Washington because of repeated violations of the ceasefire during negotiations in Islamabad, President Masoud Pezeshkian said, describing an end to US provocative rhetoric and actions as a prerequisite for any confidence-building.
In a telephone conversation on Thursday, President Pezeshkian and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko discussed the expansion of bilateral relations between Tehran and Minsk as well as the latest regional and international developments.
Pezeshkian briefed the Belarusian president on the latest developments regarding the ceasefire and the Iran-US negotiations in Islamabad, as well as the aggressive US and Israeli actions in violation of the ceasefire understanding.
The Iranian president said the US military aggression and the attacks by the Israeli regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the martyrdom of former Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, a number of military commanders, senior officials, and civilians, as well as strikes on hospitals, schools, public infrastructure, and Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities under safeguards, were contrary to international law and constituted war crimes.
Pezeshkian thanked Belarus for its principled stance in condemning the military aggression against Iran and expressing solidarity with the Iranian government and people. He said Iran has always pursued resolving disputes through dialogue and diplomacy responsibly, but noted that the United States and the Israeli regime attacked Iran twice during the course of negotiations, adding that the possibility of repeated acts has led to Tehran’s complete distrust of Washington.
The president stressed the necessity for US officials to stop provocative rhetoric and actions in order to rebuild Iran’s trust, demonstrate seriousness in pursuing negotiations aimed at a definitive end to the war, and avoid a repetition of past experiences.
Pezeshkian also underscored the need to expand political, economic, and cultural ties with Belarus, saying Iran pursues a policy of active and balanced engagement with countries based on mutual respect and shared interests.
There is room for further enhancement of relations and cooperation between the two countries on the basis of common interests and mutual understanding of each other’s capacities and needs, Pezeshkian added.
For his part, Lukashenko said Belarus views its relations with Iran as strategic and steadily developing.
Expressing concern over escalating tensions in West Asia and their security and economic consequences for the region and the world, the Belarusian president voiced hope that disputes would be resolved through dialogue and negotiations.
Lukashenko also said negotiations cannot produce lasting results without mutual trust and stressed the importance of strengthening confidence-building measures among the parties.
During the phone call, the two sides also reviewed the latest status of bilateral relations and emphasized the need to expand cooperation within the framework of shared interests and strengthen political and economic consultations.
