Iran has denied that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is scheduled to hold negotiations with the United States during his visit to Islamabad, pushing back against reports that American negotiators are heading to Pakistan for talks with Tehran’s top diplomat.
The denial came as senior Iranian political and military figures issued strong statements against the US president, vowing unity under the Supreme Leader and warning that Iran still retains major unused missile capabilities.
The IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News reported on Friday that no negotiations with the United States are on Araghchi’s agenda during his trip to Islamabad. The outlet said the visit is not aimed at talks with Washington, but at consultations with Pakistani officials on Iran’s position regarding the end of the war.
Tasnim’s report also rejected a CNN report claiming that US negotiators were heading to Islamabad for talks with Araghchi. The Iranian side insisted that Araghchi is engaging only with the Pakistani side and that Washington is not part of his Islamabad agenda.
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The Revolutionary Guards also rejected the White House’s claim that Tehran had requested direct talks with Washington.
The IRGC described talk of direct negotiations as a lie and said no decision had been made to hold talks with the United States because of what it called American injustices.
Iranian officials hit back at US threats
Iran also issued a strong reaction to threats made by US President Trump. Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said the US president had “no right” to speak about Iran.
Azizi pointed to political pressure inside the United States, claiming that the president’s popularity, along with that of the vice president, had dropped to -18%. He also said there was talk of impeachment in Congress and described the US president as an “aggressive and criminal” figure who would deeply regret his actions.
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He added that Iran is guided by the bravery of its people and the wisdom of the Supreme Leader, saying the country would stand firm in the face of American pressure.
Iran army chief vows unity
Iranian Army Chief Major General Amir Hatami also issued a defiant statement on X, formerly Twitter, emphasizing national solidarity and revolutionary identity.
“We are all Iranians and revolutionary Muslims,” Hatami wrote, according to the report. He said the unity of the Iranian nation, the armed forces and the three branches of government remains “iron” under the leadership of the Supreme Leader and Commander-in-Chief.
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Hatami said Iran would make the “criminal aggressor” regret its actions. He concluded by rallying the public around the message of “one God, one leader, one nation and one path: the path to victory for our beloved Iran.”
Major missile stockpile remains unused
Iran’s Defence Ministry spokesperson, General Reza Talaei-Nik, said a significant portion of Iran’s missile capabilities remains unused. His remarks were reported by Tasnim and also carried by regional outlets.
He said Iran still has a large stockpile of missiles that has not been deployed. He also claimed that Iranian armed forces maintained control over the skies of what he called enemy-controlled or occupied territories until the moment the ceasefire began.
Iran united and America confused
Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, said Iran remains united while the United States is confused and making repeated strategic mistakes.
Rezaei said the Iranian people are speaking with one voice and standing together. He added that the “brave sons of Iran” would send a message to the world about the collapse of American power. Similar remarks attributed to Rezaei were reported by Iranian and regional media.
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His statement added to a wave of defiant messaging from Tehran as diplomacy around the conflict continues, with Islamabad emerging as a key venue for consultations even as Iran denies any direct US talks are on Araghchi’s schedule.
UK to proscribe Iran’s Revolutionary Guards
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to bring forward legislation within weeks that would allow the UK to take tougher action against Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The Labour leader has been under growing pressure to act against the Iranian military organisation. The IRGC has already been designated a terrorist entity by the European Union and is listed as a state sponsor of terrorism in Australia.
UK ministers had previously argued that proscription powers were not designed for state-linked bodies such as the IRGC. However, the Home Office has now confirmed that new legislation is being prepared. The proposed legal framework will introduce “proscription-like powers” aimed at tackling “malign state activity.”
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