Is Iran Ready to Talk? Pezeshkian Answers Rubio at G7

Iran’s president said on Monday 9 November that Tehran favours negotiations with the United States and will not give way to pressure. Masoud Pezeshkian said so at a ceremony in Tehran, hours after Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Paris for a two-day meeting of G7 foreign ministers. Rubio had called Iran’s demands “unacceptable” the day before.

So is Iran ready to talk? Pezeshkian said it is, with dignity. Rubio said on Sunday that the two sides were not close to a breakthrough, and Qatar’s prime minister was due to see Trump at the White House on Monday. This continues the exchange between Rubio and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in our earlier analysis of the two-day proposal.

Pezeshkian said Iran “favours dialogue and negotiations” but “will not surrender to force and bullying.” Rubio said no breakthrough was near, and Trump said he saw no reason to escalate. The G7 meeting opened on Monday with Iran and the Strait of Hormuz on the agenda.

Rubio spoke first. In a video recorded on his way to Paris on Sunday 8 November, he described Iran’s demands as “unacceptable” and said a breakthrough was not near. He added that the president would always prefer to settle the matter by diplomacy.

Trump told 60 Minutes the same day that he was not looking to escalate. “Well, I’m not looking to. I don’t think there’s any reason to,” he said. On the decision to go to war he said: “I think, historically, this will be a very good decision. Is it a good decision for today and tomorrow? Maybe not.”

On Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told a press briefing that Iran’s proposal was “the most reasonable plan available.” He said: “What’s irrational and absurd is the U.S. attacking Iran amid ongoing negotiations.” Iran says the plan asks Washington to meet seven demands within two days.

Pezeshkian spoke later on Monday at the 72nd anniversary of a dairy company in Tehran, in remarks the presidency published. “We can negotiate with dignity and resolve the issue with dignity,” he said. “We favour dialogue and negotiations. However, we will not surrender to force and bullying.” He also said the supreme leader had told officials to end the “no war, no peace” situation.

Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said in a public interview at Oxford on Friday 6 November the US “remains willing to seek a diplomatic solution” even after the midterm elections. Qatar’s contacts “did not stop and will not stop,” he said. The interim deal Doha has floated would have Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz on the second day, under an arrangement reportedly agreed with Oman and not yet approved in Washington. Sheikh Mohammed was due at the White House on Monday, where Qatar was reported to be asking Trump for more time.

In Paris, Germany’s foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, said: “We certainly cannot afford any military escalation at this point.” France’s foreign ministry invited Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Egypt’s Badr Abdelatty to Monday’s dinner, ahead of a wider Middle East session on Tuesday.

Rubio called the demands “unacceptable” on Sunday. Trump told 60 Minutes on Sunday that there was “no reason” to escalate. Baghaei answered on Monday that the same plan was “the most reasonable” available, and Pezeshkian said Iran “favours dialogue” that afternoon. Nobody withdrew a position.

Baghaei’s line answers Washington, and Wadephul’s warning answers Rubio. Trump’s “not looking to” came as oil fell below $100 a barrel on Monday, according to market reports.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Monday that tanker transit in the south of the strait had been halted, and Tehran claimed four tankers were stopped in 24 hours. Our running count of mine and tanker claims shows how few such claims are independently confirmed.

France and Britain have a plan to protect shipping that can start “once conditions permit,” with over a dozen ships, including Dutch, Belgian and German ones, reported ready. Rubio says the conditions are not there. Pezeshkian says Iran will talk. Doha says an interim deal exists on paper.

Trump has said he expects to meet Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin in China this week. He described Iran as on the agenda. Our tracker of the Iran-US talks records each step, and Will the US Strike Iran After the Midterms? covers the earlier stage.

The White House account of the Qatari prime minister’s visit is the first marker. If it describes the two-day plan as under discussion, Rubio’s “unacceptable” has softened. If it does not mention the plan, the interim deal has stalled.

The second is Tuesday’s G7 session with the Middle East ministers, and whether it ends in a joint line on Iran or on the escort plan, which Wadephul’s “cannot afford” warning will shape.

The third is Trump’s China trip. If Iran reaches the table there, Pezeshkian’s offer has an audience. Until then Baghaei still calls the plan reasonable, Rubio still calls the demands unacceptable, and ships in the strait carry the cost.