Iran: Pezeshkian proposes resuming commitments with Washington before meeting Putin

Tuesday 01 September 2026 - 09:55

A few hours before a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Bishkek, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian sends a signal of openness to the United States. Tehran states it is ready to immediately reactivate its commitments to end hostilities, provided that Washington once again respects the provisions of an agreement concluded in June.

Iranian diplomacy is attempting to regain the initiative. From Bishkek, where he is participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, Massoud Pezeshkian conditioned a resumption of Tehran's commitments on a return by the United States to its own obligations.

The Iranian president assured that his country would take "immediate" reciprocal measures if Washington returned to the commitments outlined in the agreement concluded in June.

This statement comes in a particularly tense regional context as Pezeshkian is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

An Iranian proposal with conditions

The message sent by Tehran does not constitute an unconditional opening. Pezeshkian explicitly links any new Iranian initiative to the prior respect of American commitments.

This position reflects Iran's desire to keep the door open for negotiation while avoiding the impression of unilaterally abandoning its demands.

The agreement concluded in mid-June between Washington and Tehran was intended to put an end to hostilities. However, the arrangement did not withstand the resumption of tensions a few weeks later.

An agreement already weakened by the resumption of hostilities

The so-called Islamabad agreement was presented as a framework designed to interrupt the confrontation triggered at the end of February by American and Israeli attacks against Iran.

According to the information provided, these operations had notably resulted in the death of the former Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

However, the calm was short-lived. As early as July, hostilities resumed, undermining the commitments made just weeks earlier.

After another period of calm in August, confrontation once again intensified with American strikes in the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian reprisals targeting American interests in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.

Pezeshkian in Bishkek to strengthen his support

The Iranian president is currently in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, for the summit dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

The meeting brings together 17 heads of state and government, including the leaders of Russia, China, India, Pakistan, and Turkey.

In this context, the meeting with Vladimir Putin is particularly important for Tehran. Russia remains a strategic partner for Iran and plays a significant role in the diplomatic balances emerging around the crisis.

Washington at the center of the next diplomatic standoff

By conditioning his approach on the return of the United States to the agreement, Pezeshkian now places the ball in the American court.

The Iranian message comes as the region remains exposed to new escalations. The Strait of Hormuz, a strategic maritime passage, is notably a major point of tension due to its importance for global energy trade.

The Iranian president's proposal could therefore open up space for a new diplomatic sequence, but its realization will depend on Washington's response and the ability of both parties to restore a minimum of trust.