A senior Iranian source said on Wednesday that Iran and the United States have not held talks to extend their ceasefire because, in Tehran's view, the interim deal never had a start date and therefore nothing to extend.
The source's remarks came after reports by Turkey's Anadolu news agency, which, citing Pakistani government sources, said Tehran and Washington had agreed to prolong a 60-day ceasefire under the interim agreement signed in June.
The June agreement declared an "immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts" but rapidly unraveled. U.S. President Donald Trump said the deal was "over" on July 7, and Iran's foreign ministry described the agreement as "suspended" about a week later.
"There is no talk of an extension because, from Iran's perspective, there is no period that began and therefore nothing to extend. The United States violated the interim agreement 48 hours after it was reached and withdrew from it a few days later," the senior Iranian source said.
Under the terms of the interim agreement, the 60-day timeline referred to an extendable window in which Iran and the United States were expected to negotiate a final accord. That final agreement was to include limits on Tehran's nuclear programme and the lifting of U.S. economic sanctions.
Observers to the interim framework had identified a series of preconditions deemed necessary before the parties would enter the further negotiation period. These included a ceasefire in Lebanon, assurances of free navigation in the Gulf and waivers that would permit Iran to resume oil sales.
"One of the issues that is being discussed via mediators is the U.S. returning to the interim agreement and defining a timeframe for implementing the commitments. There has been absolutely no progress on this issue," the source added.
The senior Iranian source framed the lack of a defined implementation period and the early withdrawal by the United States as central to Tehran's position that there is nothing to extend. Mediators continue to be referenced as channels for discussion, but according to the source, the core outstanding item remains setting a mutually recognised timeframe for commitments to be carried out.
The situation as described by the Iranian source leaves the interim framework in a state of uncertainty. While external reports indicate potential agreement on an extension, Tehran's account signals that, from its perspective, the prerequisites for moving into a further negotiation phase have not been satisfied and no concrete progress has been achieved.