Pezeshkian: Iran no longer trusts talks with Washington

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview with Al Jazeera that his country no longer trusts direct talks with Washington, underscoring the persistent distrust that continues to define relations between the two nations.

Intermediaries carry the message

According to Pezeshkian, Iran is not communicating with the United States directly at present. Instead, he said Qatar and Pakistan are relaying Tehran's messages to Washington. This arrangement suggests that while formal, direct negotiations between Iran and the US are not currently taking place, channels of communication between the two countries have not been completely severed — they are simply operating indirectly, through third-party states.

Context

The remarks come against a backdrop of deep and long-standing mistrust between Iran and the United States. Pezeshkian's statement that Tehran no longer trusts the format of direct dialogue with Washington suggests that any future contact is likely to continue passing through intermediaries rather than occurring face-to-face.

The involvement of Qatar and Pakistan as go-betweens reflects the role these countries have often played in regional diplomacy, frequently serving as communication conduits between parties that lack direct trust or formal relations. In the interview, the Iranian president did not provide further details about the content of the messages being exchanged or about any concrete next steps toward restoring direct dialogue.

The statement highlights how the absence of official dialogue between Tehran and Washington continues to shape the diplomatic landscape in the region, with both sides relying on indirect channels to maintain at least a minimal exchange of information amid ongoing tensions.