DNA

TEHRAN / DOHA / JERUSALEM — High-stakes diplomatic efforts to formalize a framework peace deal between Iran and the United States reached a critical juncture today.

Even as top Iranian negotiators landed in Qatar to hammer out the details of a fragile ceasefire, rhetoric on the ground remains highly combustible.

President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized that Tehran will not bow to “excessive” American demands, while inside Israel, hardline cabinet ministers are calling for a return to all-out war in Lebanon.  1. Pezeshkian Vows No Surrender to “Economic Warfare”Speaking to the Iran Chamber of Commerce on Monday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian insisted that while Tehran remains engaged in diplomatic channels, it will not give in to overreaching pressure from Washington.  “The Islamic Republic of Iran will not surrender to excessive pressures and demands under any circumstances,” Pezeshkian stated.

He added that after failing on the military front, foreign adversaries have shifted their focus to “economic warfare,” which he claimed Iran would overcome through state and private-sector solidarity.  The comments follow weeks of intense, Pakistan-mediated negotiations aimed at stabilizing a temporary ceasefire that took effect on April 8, following direct military exchanges between the U.S., Israel, and Iran back in February.