TEHRAN, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday that if the United States returns to its commitments under the peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iran, Tehran will be ready to fulfill its obligations.
Pezeshkian made the remarks during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2026 in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek, according to a statement from his office.
Pezeshkian stressed that the United States can no longer impose its "illegal" demands on Iran by force.
Referring to the U.S. and Israeli "aggression" against Iran that killed Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with military commanders and civilians, he said that "these crimes did not have any legal basis, and such an aggression is in no way justifiable."
He also said Iran would resist unilateralism and pressure- and sanction-based policies, while calling for stronger regional cooperation and multilateralism.
Pezeshkian described Iran-Russia ties as "strategic" and "at an excellent level," praising Moscow's support for Tehran.
Putin, for his part, expressed concern over continued regional tensions and voiced hope for tangible results in U.S.-Iran negotiations. He also affirmed Russia's commitment to deepening ties with Tehran across all areas.
Separately, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Tuesday rejected as a "lie" the U.S. claim that its recent attack on Iran's Larak Island was carried out because Iranian forces were preparing to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Addressing a weekly press conference, Baghaei pointed to frequent U.S. claims about Iran's intention to develop nuclear weapons, saying that Washington's pattern was to fabricate a "lie every time to justify its crime."
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
On June 18, the United States and Iran signed the MoU on ending the war in the region, with negotiations scheduled within 60 days, which ended on Aug. 17, to reach a final agreement, but the talks' fate remains unclear amid ongoing escalations. ■
