Iran's Pezeshkian says it is up to US to end war before year-end
He says Tehran wants to revive its ceasefire understanding with Washington before November's midterms.
Published
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said it is Washington, not Tehran, that must decide whether to end the war before the year is out. He said Iran wants to revive its ceasefire understanding with the United States before November's midterms, and said Iran remains open to nuclear inspections while denying any plot by President Trump.
The remarks come as the US Senate rejected a resolution that would have required congressional approval for any military action against Iran. Senator John Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote against it.
Israel has kept up its own pressure. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the Iranian people will one day be free, and separately held up a pager, a reference to Israel's attack on Hezbollah's pager network, saying Israel has no choice but to win. Talks between Washington and Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz remain stalled. An Israeli official has told the Jerusalem Post the odds of a US-Iran deal are small. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has said he hopes the two countries can reach agreement on the nuclear issue.
Pezeshkian's framing, that the choice belongs to America, points to continued stalling rather than movement toward a deal. Taken with Israel's recent strikes, the suspension of flights by UAE carriers, and the market's muted reaction, it reads as defensive posturing rather than a genuine opening. For anyone pricing risk in oil or the region, that argues against expecting a near-term resolution.