Iran: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday defended Tehran's expired Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States as the best option for ending hostilities between the two nations, which Pezeshkian described as being "neither war nor peace."
According to Deutsche Welle, Pezeshkian stated that members of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) agreed with the assessment on the basis of "dignity, wisdom and national interest." He emphasized that there is no provision in the agreement that can be considered capitulation and reaffirmed that the policies set by the supreme leader would continue to guide the nation.
The MoU, signed by US President Donald Trump in June, outlined a 60-day timeline aimed at resolving the US-Israeli-led conflict and ensuring Iran's abandonment of its nuclear ambitions. However, the deadline passed last week with no visible compromise from either side, leaving the situation in the Strait of Hormuz unresolved. The closure of this crucial waterway by Iran in response to US-Israeli attacks has affected the global economy for the past six months.
On Sunday, Pezeshkian highlighted the necessity for Iran to move beyond the current impasse to attract foreign investment. He remarked that capital is highly sensitive to risk and stressed the importance of eliminating these risks to bolster the country's economic prospects.
Iran's Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that Pakistan's top military leader, Asim Munir, would visit Tehran on Monday. This visit is part of Pakistan's ongoing efforts to promote regional peace and security, a role it played in facilitating the MoU between Washington and Tehran. Recently, Islamabad signed a regional security cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, which is seen as a move to counter Iranian influence.
Despite the diplomatic engagements, the SNSC's new hardline leader, Mohsen Rezaei, cautioned neighboring countries against assisting the US in its economic war against Iran. He warned of severe retaliation, including targeting alternative oil-shipping routes out of the Persian Gulf, if neighbors join the US efforts against Iran.