The US is making unacceptable demands during negotiations with Iran after failing to defeat the country militarily, Ali Bagheri, the deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has told RT.
Bagheri, who served as foreign minister from 2021 to 2024, spoke to RT in Moscow, where he attended a security conference and met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko.
He argued that the “excessive demands” made by the US demonstrate that officials in Washington are “detached from reality.”
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to ships from “hostile countries” in response to US and Israeli airstrikes and has since insisted on its right to regulate traffic and collect tolls. Bagheri said the conflict shows that the status of the strait is vital to Iran’s security.
“Iran, like other independent countries, believes in peace through dialogue and negotiations. The US does not believe in peace through diplomacy. It believes in peace through force, aggression, and barbarism,” he said.
Bagheri said there is “no problem” in relations between Iran and the Gulf states, blaming the US for regional tensions. He argued that the military presence of the US and Israel is an obstacle to peace in the region.
Iran fired drones and missiles at Gulf states hosting US bases during the conflict, arguing that the strikes were carried out in self-defense.
Although US officials indicated this week that the sides are close to reaching a preliminary agreement, there are no signs that either Washington or Tehran is willing to compromise. Both countries have accused each other of setting unacceptable terms.