October 21, 2026
The Secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council, Major General Mohsen Rezaei, raised the ceiling of the Iranian position regarding the nuclear file, stressing that Tehran will not allow any amount of enriched nuclear materials to leave its territory, considering it a “strategic asset and national wealth.” Rezaei’s statements came during his meeting with the Commander of the Pakistani Army, General Asim Munir, in the capital, Tehran.
In a related context, Rezaei conditioned any progress in the negotiation process with Washington on the US administration taking practical steps to build confidence, stressing the existence of an internal Iranian consensus that starting negotiations depends on the implementation of the conditions set by Tehran in advance.
For his part, the Pakistani army commander met with the head of the Iranian Islamic Shura Council, Muhammad Baqir Qalibaf, where the two sides discussed the common border issue. General Mounir announced the solution of all related problems and the reopening of the border crossing this morning, describing the previous problems as “temporary and technical.”
In turn, Ghalibaf stressed that restoring confidence in the United States is linked to implementing what he called “the seven Iranian conditions.” He accused the administration of US President Donald Trump of violating the memorandums of understanding and continuing escalation and threats, noting that the causes of mistrust have become more entrenched. Qalibaf added that Washington is now facing a dilemma as a result of its miscalculations towards Iran, stressing that threats and military movements will not succeed in changing Tehran’s strategic decisions.
The visit of the Pakistani Army Commander to Tehran comes at a time when Islamabad seeks to mediate between Tehran and Washington, in light of faltering talks and continuing nuclear tension. The visit coincided with the arrival of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Tehran on his first visit since the start of the American-Israeli confrontation with Iran, as part of Russian, international and regional efforts to push towards a diplomatic path that prevents the outbreak of a large-scale confrontation and reopens negotiation channels.
Thus, through Rezaei and Qalibaf’s statements, the Iranian leadership sets a decisive ceiling for the next stage, based on adhering to keeping enriched materials inside the country, and refusing to enter into any new negotiations without concrete American steps to restore confidence.
