Iranian president warns against division after talks with US

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned Monday against what he called messages that could fuel division inside Iran, in his first remarks after the start of US-Iran talks in Switzerland.

In a speech in Tehran, Pezeshkian said the Iranian negotiating delegation joined the talks with the US in Switzerland “without offering any concessions,” the ISNA news agency reported.

“Every message that leads to division and discord serves the enemy,” he said, in reference to domestic criticism of the negotiations with Washington.

“Iran would not back down if the other side ignored its rights during the negotiations,” Pezeshkian said, citing that the US had stepped back on the Lebanon file in response to an Iranian request during the talks.

“Some positive developments had been achieved,” he added.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said early Monday that negotiations with the US in Switzerland facilitated by Pakistan and Qatar had produced “significant progress” toward ending the war in Lebanon and easing pressure on Iran's economy.

*Writing by Lina Altawell in Istanbul