Iran foreign ministry says US not serious about pursuing diplomacy

Iran's foreign ministry said Monday that the United States was not serious about pursuing diplomacy, citing what it called "violations" of their two-week ceasefire.

"While claiming diplomacy and readiness for negotiations, the US is carrying out behaviours that do not in any way indicate seriousness in pursuing a diplomatic process," said ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei in a weekly press briefing.

He said a US attack on an Iranian cargo ship early Monday, the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, and delays in implementing a ceasefire in Lebanon were all "clear violations of the ceasefire".

"As of now, while I am at your service, we have no plans for the next round of negotiation, and no decision has been made in this regard," said Baqaei. 

Key sticking points include Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium and the status of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

"Regarding the issue of transferring enriched uranium, neither during this period of negotiations nor before has transferring it to the United States been discussed," Baqaei said.

"It was never raised as an option for us," he added.