Mohammad Javad Larijani criticised Pakistan’s mediation efforts and said Iran did not need Pakistan to help arrange talks with the United States.
Larijani, a former adviser to Iran’s supreme leader and current head of the Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences, called Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf’s Islamabad trip a costly mistake.
“Pakistan’s prime minister is a good person,” Larijani said. “But there is no need for him to bring the Americans and us together in order to negotiate.”
Larijani said Tehran could speak to Washington directly if it chose to do so. He added that Iran “will under no circumstances give up its nuclear program.”
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The remarks came after Iranian media reported that a delegation led by Ghalibaf had arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, for potential talks with the United States. Iran International reported on April 10, 2026, that Ghalibaf led the Iranian team.
Iran International also reported later in April that Ghalibaf defended the Iran-US talks after hardline criticism over the Islamabad negotiations.
Ghalibaf has not issued a formal response to Larijani’s criticism. The comments point to internal pressure in Tehran over Pakistan’s role in any future Iran-US diplomatic track.
