Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 12 : Maulana Yasoob Abbas, General Secretary of All India Shia Personal Law Board leader (AISPLB), on Sunday reacted to the failure of talks between Iran and the United States held in Islamabad, which ended without any agreement even after 21 hours of negotiations.
Speaking to ANI, Abbas said that the deal must be on equal terms.
"Any agreement will be on equal terms, or there will be no agreement at all," he said.
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He said Iran would not accept any unilateral conditions and insisted that any future agreement must be based on equality between both sides."Regarding the conditions, they won't be set by America; they will be set by Iran. Any agreement will be on equal terms, or there will be no agreement at all," Abbas said.
He alleged that Iran was deliberately pressured through geopolitical strategies, but claimed the country remained firm despite years of conflict and sanctions."They were out to destroy Iran's civilisation, and then they came to the table for talks. This was all a game. America stopped the war only to increase its military strength," he said.
Abbas further said Iran had consistently withstood external pressure and would not compromise on sovereignty or self-respect under any circumstances."Iran is ready for every attack. Iran has neither bent nor broken," he said, adding that sacrifices made in past conflicts had not weakened the country.
"No compromise will be made if it involves surrendering to America or compromising self-respect," Abbas added.
Reacting to claims that the United States had "already won," he questioned Washington's participation in the talks. "If America had won, why is it sitting at the table in Islamabad?" he said, adding that ongoing diplomatic engagement reflected the continuing relevance of negotiations.
Abbas further claimed that Iran's strategic position, including control over key maritime routes, remained strong and that the country had not weakened despite long-standing international pressure.
He added, "As for the Strait of Hormuz, America doesn't control it. It's completely under Iran's control and within its territorial waters. So, whatever happens in the Strait of Hormuz will be according to Iran's wishes, not America's."
Meanwhile, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali also expressed concern over the failure of the talks, saying the breakdown was "a matter of concern" for global peace.
He urged international organisations, including the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to intervene and facilitate renewed dialogue between the two sides.
Meanwhile, after hours of negotiations in Pakistan between the US and Iran, talks have reached a stalemate on Sunday as US Vice President JD Vance said that no agreement has been reached in talks with Iran. He said that while they would be returning to the US, the development is "bad news for Iran" more than it is for the United States.
Addressing reporters from Islamabad, Vance said, "We've had a number of substance agreements with the Iranians- that is the good news. The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement. That is bad news for Iran, much more than it is bad news for the United States of America."
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