- Iran refuses to negotiate under US threats and force, says Tehran's ambassador to Pakistan
- In message echoing opening lines from Jane Austen's novel, he said the US should understand Islamic principle
- US President Trump warned bombs would start if ceasefire with Iran expires without progress
As the US and Iran dealt with their pride and prejudices, failing to reach a peace deal ending the war in the Middle East, Tehran's ambassador to Pakistan, in a message to Washington, said the Islamic Republic won't negotiate under Washington's "threat and force".
In a message echoing the famous opening lines of Jane Austen's novel 'Pride and Prejudice', Reza Amiri Moghadam said, "It's a truth universally acknowledged that a single country in possession of a large civilisation will not negotiate under threat and force."
"This is a substantial, Islamic and theological principle. I wish the US would have perceived...," he wrote in a post on X.
It's a truth universally acknowledged that a single country in possession of a large Civilisation, will Not negotiate under Threat and Force.
— Reza Amiri Moghadam (@IranAmbPak) April 21, 2026
This is a substantial, Islamic and theological principle.
I wish the US would have perceived ...
The comments came hours after US President Donald Trump declared that if the fragile two-week ceasefire with Iran expires on Tuesday without a breakthrough, "then lots of bombs start going off".
US-Iran Talks
The United States has expressed confidence that peace talks with Iran would go ahead in Pakistan, even as Tehran threatened not to attend the meeting after the US seized an Iranian-flagged vessel near the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend.
A senior Iranian official has, meanwhile, told news agency Reuters that Tehran was considering joining, but significant hurdles and uncertainty remained as the end of a ceasefire approached.
Trump wants an agreement that would prevent further oil price rises and stock market shocks but has insisted Iran cannot have the means to develop a nuclear weapon. Tehran hopes to leverage its control of the Strait of Hormuz to strike a deal that averts a restart of the war and eases sanctions but does not impede its nuclear programme.
The Iranian official, speaking to Reuters, said Tehran was "positively reviewing" its participation in talks, despite earlier ruling them out, but stressed no decision had been made.
A Pakistani source involved in the discussions said there was momentum for talks to recommence on Wednesday, and Trump could attend in person, or virtually, if a deal were to be signed.
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