Trending Now - Iran Blames U.S. Demands for Stalled Direct Negotiations
WHO:
AP - Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister
AP - Donald Trump, President of the United States
AP - Iran, United States, Israel, Hezbollah
WHAT:
PBS - Khatibzadeh stated, "I can tell you that no enriched material is going to be shipped to United States," emphasizing that this is a "non-starter."
PBS - Khatibzadeh accused the U.S. of holding firm on demands Iran deems excessive, stating, "We are still not there yet to move on to an actual meeting."
PBS - Khatibzadeh described U.S. sanctions as "illegal unilateral sanctions" and "economic terrorism," which he claims suffocate the Iranian people.
PBS - Khatibzadeh reiterated Iran's position that the ceasefire must extend to Lebanon, where Israel had been fighting with Hezbollah.
PBS - Khatibzadeh announced that a "new protocol" would be put in place for the Strait of Hormuz, ensuring it remains "open and safe for all civilian passage."
AP - Iran is not ready to hold a new round of face-to-face talks with U.S. officials.
AP - Khatibzadeh stated that Iran will not hand over its enriched uranium to the United States.
AP - Trump claimed that the U.S. will go into Iran and "get all the nuclear dust," referring to 970 pounds (440 kilograms) of enriched uranium.
AP - Khatibzadeh accused the U.S. of holding firm on "maximalist" demands.
AP - Khatibzadeh mentioned that Iran is seeking the finalization of a "framework agreement" before moving to an in-person meeting.
AP - Khatibzadeh described U.S. sanctions as "illegal unilateral sanctions" and "economic terrorism."
AP - Trump stated that Israel is "prohibited" by the U.S. from further strikes on Lebanon.
AP - Khatibzadeh reiterated that Iran's actions are defensive and in response to unprovoked aggression.
AP - Khatibzadeh announced that a "new protocol" would be put in place for the Strait of Hormuz.
WHERE:
AP - Antalya, Turkey (location of the diplomacy forum)
AP - Strait of Hormuz (location mentioned in negotiations)
WHEN:
PBS - The U.S. and Iran declared a temporary truce on April 12th, 2026, which Iran claims extends to Lebanon, although Israel and the U.S. denied this.
AP - The interview with Khatibzadeh took place on Saturday, April 16th, 2026.
AP - Trump made his statement about the U.S. going into Iran on April 14th, 2026.
AP - The U.S. and Iran declared a temporary truce on April 12th, 2026.
AP - Khatibzadeh mentioned that a ceasefire was accepted on April 14th, 2026.
WHY:
AP - Khatibzadeh stated that the U.S. demands are excessive and a barrier to negotiations.
AP - Khatibzadeh claimed that the sanctions imposed by the U.S. are intended to suffocate the Iranian people and provoke internal revolt.
HOW:
PBS - Khatibzadeh mentioned that there have been many exchanges of messages between the U.S. and Iran regarding the negotiations.
AP - Khatibzadeh indicated that there have been many exchanges of messages between the U.S. and Iran regarding the negotiations.
(UPDATED April 19, 2026 05:41 UTC)
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Khatibzadeh, stated that no enriched material will be shipped to the United States, calling this a "non-starter," while also accusing the U.S. of maintaining excessive demands that hinder progress toward an actual meeting. He described U.S. sanctions as "illegal unilateral sanctions" and "economic terrorism," which he claims are suffocating the Iranian people, and reiterated Iran's position that a ceasefire must extend to Lebanon amid ongoing tensions with Israel and Hezbollah. Khatibzadeh also announced a "new protocol" for the Strait of Hormuz to ensure it remains open and safe for all civilian passage, following a temporary truce declared on Sunday, which Iran claims includes Lebanon, a point denied by Israel and the U.S.
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(UPDATED April 19, 2026 04:02 UTC)
Iran is not prepared to engage in a new round of face-to-face talks with U.S. officials, as Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh emphasized that Iran will not surrender its enriched uranium to the United States. Khatibzadeh criticized U.S. sanctions as "illegal unilateral sanctions" and "economic terrorism," while President Trump claimed the U.S. would go into Iran to retrieve 970 pounds of enriched uranium. The discussions took place amid a temporary truce declared on Sunday, and Khatibzadeh noted that excessive U.S. demands are obstructing negotiations, with Iran seeking to finalize a "framework agreement" before any in-person meeting.