Iran accuses US of 'contempt for diplomacy' following Trump's remarks on Islamabad MoU

Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of demonstrating outright contempt for international diplomacy on Wednesday, October 28, after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly dismissed the diplomatic framework established under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as a "waste of time".

How did Iran respond to President Trump's remarks on the Islamabad MoU?

In a statement posted on social media platform X, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei asserted that the U.S. president's public dismissal of the diplomatic roadmap exposed the insincerity behind Washington's engagement.

"Washington’s contempt for diplomacy is once again laid bare. President Trump’s admission that he never believed in the Islamabad MoU and considered it a waste of time exposes the hollowness of their diplomatic commitments," Baqaei wrote. "For Iran, this is nothing new. Washington has a long record of reneging on its commitments and treating international obligations as disposable whenever they become inconvenient."

The diplomatic backlash follows remarks delivered by Trump during a recent political rally in Mississippi, where he reflected on the negotiated pause in active hostilities: "We did a little ceasefire, which I never liked very much. I considered it sort of a waste of time. But you know, you like to listen to professionals." The Islamabad MoU had formed the baseline for mediated de-escalation channels established earlier in the conflict to contain direct naval and kinetic strikes.

Why did Tehran criticize European allies over selective international law?

Expanding his critique to Western partners, Baqaei warned that European capitals bear responsibility for enabling Washington to sidestep multilateral accountability.

"There is absolutely no justification for European states and other apologists for Washington to continue whitewashing U.S. misconduct and shielding it from accountability," the spokesperson stated. He emphasized that Tehran views adherence to legal norms as indivisible, concluding: "Broken commitments cannot be excused, international law cannot be applied selectively, and no amount of political spin can absolve Washington of accountability."

The exchange comes amid rising rhetoric on both sides. Over the preceding days, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei stated that Iran would not stand down from its defensive posture until its core sanctions-relief and security conditions are satisfied, while Trump told rally attendees in Florida that the U.S. remains prepared to resume direct strikes on Iranian targets if provocations persist.