Iran president offers US olive branch before Putin meeting

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan — Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian pledged on Tuesday to match any U.S. move to rejoin a June agreement meant to end their war, as he prepares to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at a regional summit. The two allies were set to discuss matters off the official agenda during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan, an alliance championed by Russia and China as an alternative to Western influence.

Pezeshkian affirmed that if the United States fulfills its obligations under the aforementioned memorandum of understanding, Iran will promptly reciprocate, according to the Iran presidency's website. The memorandum aimed to bring an end to hostilities between Tehran and Washington that erupted in late February following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, resulting in the death of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The deal, intended to pave the way for peace negotiations, ultimately fell apart, with both parties blaming each other for breaches of its provisions. As Pezeshkian made these remarks, the Strait of Hormuz remained a focal point of contention between the two nations.