Ceasefire with Israel 'temporary, uncertain,' Iranian reformist paper says
The ceasefire ending 12 days of conflict between the Islamic Republic and Israel is not anchored in any formal international legal framework, making its stability questionable, reformist Iranian daily Shargh wrote in a report on Monday.
“The ceasefire is not based on any international legal standards, regulations, or the rules of official global organizations and institutions,” the newspaper added.
“In fact, it is a temporary and ambiguous ceasefire, and there can be no serious certainty about its durability.”
US President Donald Trump said he is not offering Iran “anything” and added that he is "not even talking" to the Iranian officials following US strikes on the country’s nuclear facilities.
“Tell phony Democrat Senator Chris Coons that I am not offering Iran ANYTHING, unlike Obama, who paid them $Billions under the stupid ‘road to a Nuclear Weapon JCPOA (which would now be expired!),’” Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social.
“Nor am I even talking to them since we totally OBLITERATED their Nuclear Facilities.”
The United States reached out through an Arab country to propose a ceasefire, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said, but criticized US and Israeli conduct for undermining diplomatic efforts.
“The United States contacted Iran through an Arab country and proposed a ceasefire and a halt to aggressive actions,” Esmail Baqaei said in an interview with Russia Today.
“The actions of the United States and Israel destroyed diplomacy. It is their responsibility to work toward restoring the trust of the Iranian people,” he added.
Baqaei also criticized European countries' stance on the war between Iran and Israel, saying they “tried to justify the [Israeli] attack instead of condemning it.”
An aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and former vice president under the late Ebrahim Raisi threatened Israel following the ceasefire, calling the country a “cancerous tumor.”
“[Israel] will soon be uprooted with the firm determination that exists among the Iranian people, the leadership, and the armed forces,” said Mohammad Mokhber.
Iran has demanded that the US halt further military strikes before diplomatic talks can restart, Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC on Sunday.
“Right now, we are seeking an answer to this question: Are we going to see a repetition of an act of aggression while we are engaging in dialogue?” he said.
The Trump administration is pursuing negotiations through intermediaries but must clarify its position on military attacks during talks, Takht-Ravanchi said.
When asked whether Iran’s uranium enrichment raised suspicions among other countries, he responded: “To say you should have zero enrichment, and if you do not agree, we will bomb you—that is the law of the jungle.”
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff earlier said several channels of talks with Iran exist and that negotiations would happen soon.
Takht-Ravanchi replied that no dates have been set yet. “No date has been set for talks, and the Israel-Iran ceasefire remains fragile,” he added.
US President Donald Trump had previously set a 60-day deadline for Iran to reach an agreement. However, on day 61, Israel launched military strikes against three major nuclear sites in Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow.
Following the Israeli campaign, Iran canceled planned talks with the US scheduled in Oman.
