Iran has said it will not attend talks with the US in Islamabad unless Washington lifts its blockade, according to a report by Al Jazeera quoting an Iranian source.

Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Committee, said Tehran’s approach to negotiations is guided strictly by national interest and security considerations.

Asked about participation in the Islamabad talks, Azizi said Iran would act “based on national interests” and take any steps necessary to safeguard the country’s security and strategic position.

He described the negotiations as closely linked to broader regional tensions, saying Iran views them as an extension of the current confrontation.

“We see the current negotiations as a continuation of the battlefield,” he said.

“If they lead to outcomes that reinforce what has been achieved on the battlefield, then the negotiation arena is also an opportunity for us. But not if the Americans intend to turn this into a field of excessive demands based on a bullying approach.”

In further remarks, Azizi, who also previously served as an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander, said Iran is willing to continue talks with the US but not “at any cost” or under conditions set unilaterally by Washington.

He stressed that Iran has defined “red lines” that must be respected in any diplomatic process.

Asked again whether Iran would send a delegation to Islamabad, Azizi said the decision would depend on whether Tehran receives positive signals from the US side.

“We have never feared the principle of negotiation,” he said.

“Perhaps today or tomorrow, after further assessment, we may consider it, provided the American negotiating team and the messages received from Iran indicate a positive signal.”