Iran prepared for ‘fair and balanced’ agreement: Pezeshkian

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Apr 12 (UNB/AP)--Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday that his country is prepared to reach a deal that would ensure “lasting regional peace.”

He added that Iran’s national interests are a red line, according to a readout of the call carried by Iran’s state-media.

Pezeshkian criticized the U.S. use of bases in Gulf countries to carry out strikes against Iran, while maintaining that Gulf countries are “brothers” and that Tehran is willing to cooperate with them to achieve regional security “without outside powers”

Iran has said it has repeatedly struck U.S. facilities in neighboring Gulf countries since the war started in late February. Gulf countries say Iran has also targeted civilian infrastructure and facilities.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. Navy would “immediately” begin a blockade to stop ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, after U.S.-Iran peace talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement.

Iran has demanded the right to collect tolls from vessels traveling through the strait, but Trump said no one who paid them would “have safe passage on the high seas.”