Iranian Diplomat Says US Must Retract Maximalist Nuclear Demands for Peace Talks to Proceed

A woman walks past a digital screen displaying news of U.S.–Iran peace talks along a road in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 10, 2026. Farooq Naeem/AFP via Getty ImagesIran is not ready to hold another set of peace talks with U.S. representatives until President Donald Trump backs off from his “maximalist” stance on Iran’s nuclear activity, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said on April 18.During a visit to Turkey on Saturday, Khatibzadeh told reporters that there needs to be a clear “framework of understanding” for peace talks to proceed. The Iranian official offered the comment with just days left on a two-week ceasefire that began on April 7.