Iran: US Cannot Be Trusted; No Agreement Without Guaranteed Rights

Central News Agency, Tehran, May 31. Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned today that the US cannot be trusted, stating that Tehran will not agree to any deal with Washington unless the US fully guarantees Iran's rights. AFP reported that Ghalibaf's remarks come amid reports that US President Trump has sent a tougher peace proposal back to Iran, highlighting the persistent gaps between the two sides. Following weeks of tense negotiations filled with heated rhetoric and sporadic violence, any modifications to the draft could further delay an agreement to formally end the Middle East war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier this February, Iran and the US negotiated the future of their nuclear program, but subsequent US and Israeli airstrikes and missile attacks nearly wiped out Iran's top leadership. Although Tehran has long insisted its nuclear program is for civilian purposes, the US and its Western allies suspect its goal is to develop nuclear weapons. The New York Times and Axios reported yesterday that Trump has sent a 'tougher' new framework for an agreement back to Tehran for further review, though specific details remain unclear. Trump has stated his top priorities include curbing Iran's development of nuclear weapons and reopening the blocked Strait of Hormuz. The strait has been blocked by Iran since the outbreak of this war. However, Tehran has repeatedly expressed skepticism about Trump's claims, and the two sides remain deeply divided on core issues. In a video broadcast on state television, Ghalibaf emphasized, 'We will not approve any agreement until the rights of the Iranian people are guaranteed.' According to the Tasnim News Agency, the two sides are still exchanging views on the text and continuously proposing revisions.