TEHRAN — President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared Iran's willingness to resume diplomatic negotiations with the United States, but only on condition that Washington drops its "maximalist approach" and ceases a series of provocative actions, including an ongoing naval blockade of Iranian ports.

The remarks were made during a telephone conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday.

Speaking with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Pezeshkian accused Washington of having attacked Iran twice during previous diplomatic talks, a betrayal that he said had caused Tehran to "completely lose trust" in the United States.

"During the course of negotiations, the US and the Zionist regime attacked Iran twice, and there is a possibility of that happening again," the president said. He added that the April ceasefire had already been violated by the "aggressive actions" of Washington and Israel.

Pezeshkian described the recent US and Israeli strikes on Iranian infrastructure, including safeguarded nuclear facilities, as "war crimes" and clear violations of international law. He also reiterated that the assassination of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and other senior Iranian political and military officials, as well as attacks on schools, hospitals, and vital public infrastructure, constituted further examples of such crimes.

In a separate post on his X account on Thursday, Pezeshkian sharpened his criticism of the American naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports on April 9 — one day after the ceasefire had taken effect.

"What is being done under the guise of a naval blockade is an extension of military operations against a nation paying the price for its resistance and independence," the president wrote. "The world has witnessed Iran's tolerance and conciliation. Continuation of this oppressive approach is intolerable."

Iran took control of the Strait of Hormuz in the early days of the war, restricting the passage of ships belonging to adversary nations and any country assisting them. The strait is a critical waterway through which approximately 20 percent of global energy supplies transit. Despite the ceasefire, Tehran has maintained these restrictions in response to 'Washington's violation of the truce.'

 Pezeshkian told the Japanese prime minister that Iran's armed forces remain determined to defend the country's legitimate rights. Nevertheless, he said Tehran is prepared to resume the diplomatic process aimed at finding a "fair resolution" to the war and restoring regional peace and security.

"Achieving that goal is contingent upon the US abandoning its maximalist approach and stopping its provocative actions," the president stressed.

For her part, Prime Minister Takaichi called for efforts to de-escalate tensions through diplomacy, expressing hope that negotiations between Tehran and Washington would resume soon and lead to an agreement. 

President Lukashenko of Belarus, meanwhile, described his country's ties with Iran as "strategic and developing," and voiced hope that disputes in West Asia would be resolved through dialogue.