"Negotiations continue": Iran after Trump's "Clock is Ticking" remark

Tehran [Iran], May 18 (ANI): Iran confirmed on Monday that indirect negotiations with the United States are actively continuing through Pakistani mediation. However, Tehran firmly signalled it will not compromise on its "nuclear rights," even as U.S. President Donald Trump issued a fiery weekend warning that "time is of the essence."
According to ISNA, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran had exchanged proposals and corrective points with Washington through Pakistan.
"The negotiations are ongoing and not temporary," Baghaei said during his weekly press conference.
The back-and-forth exchange reportedly follows a structured, albeit rocky, format. Iran initially submitted a 14-point framework to address outstanding issues. While Washington publicly stated the plan was rejected, Baghaei noted that the U.S. concurrently raised its concerns and passed a set of "corrective points and considerations" back through the Pakistani mediator.
"After we presented the 14-point plan and the American side raised its concerns, we raised our concerns in return, and despite the American side publicly announcing that Iran's plan was rejected, we received a set of corrective points and considerations from the Pakistani mediator," he said.
Iran reviewed Washington's feedback and has already transmitted its updated counter-proposals back to the American side via Pakistan.
"Therefore, the day after sending our points of view to the American side, we received a set of proposals from Pakistan, which were reviewed in the past few days, and as announced yesterday, our points of view have been reflected in return to the American side. The process continues through the Pakistani mediator," Baghaei added.
Despite the active diplomatic channel, Tehran is drawing a hard line when it comes to its atomic program. Baghaei reiterated that Iran's right to enrich uranium is non-negotiable under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
"What we can say with certainty is that the issue of rights is not something we want to negotiate and compromise about," Baghaei said.
"Iran's right to enrich uranium has been recognised under the NPT, and there is no need for others to recognise this right for Iran because this right exists," he added.
Projecting defiance against external pressure, Baghaei added that Tehran remains unfazed by rhetoric from its adversaries.
"Just as we are not afraid of the enemy's threats, we are not thrilled by their praise either. We believe in our capabilities and are setting future plans to confront the enemy," he said.
On regional maritime security, Baghaei said expert-level discussions between Iran and Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz are continuing.
"The Strait of Hormuz is a very important waterway and shipping security is very important to us," he said, adding that measures adopted by Iran were "to maintain security and are based on international law."
Baghaei noted that an experts' meeting between Iran and Oman was held in Muscat last week and that contacts between the two sides remain ongoing.
Meanwhile, escalating the war of words amid a persistent diplomatic stalemate, US President Donald Trump issued a fresh warning to Iran as negotiations remained deadlocked over uranium stockpiles, sanctions relief and war compensation following months of conflict across West Asia.
"For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won't be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!" Trump wrote on Sunday in a Truth Social post. (ANI)