Iran: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday defended Tehran's expired Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States as the best option for ending hostilities between the two nations, which Pezeshkian described as being "neither war nor peace."

According to Deutsche Welle, Pezeshkian stated that members of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) agreed with the assessment on the basis of "dignity, wisdom and national interest." He emphasized that there is no provision in the agreement that amounts to capitulation, reinforcing that policies set by the supreme leader will be followed.

The MoU, signed by US President Donald Trump in June, outlined a 60-day timeline for ending the US-Israeli-led conflict, as well as ensuring that Iran relinquish its nuclear ambitions. The deadline expired last week without signs of compromise from either side, and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains unresolved. Iran's closure of the Strait, in response to US-Israeli attacks, has significantly impacted the global economy over the past six months.

Pezeshkian stressed the importance of moving past the current stalemate in the conflict to attract foreign investment to Iran. He noted that capital and money are sensitive to risk, and it is crucial to eliminate this risk from the country.

In related developments, Iran's Foreign Ministry announced that Pakistan's top military leader, Asim Munir, will visit Iran on Monday. This visit is part of Pakistan's ongoing efforts to promote peace and security in the region, as stated by Tehran. Pakistan played a key role in facilitating the MoU between Washington and Tehran.

Despite Munir's impending visit and Pezeshkian's announcement of SNSC support for the MoU, Mohsen Rezaei, the hardline leader of the SNSC, issued a warning to neighboring countries against supporting the US war effort. Rezaei threatened retaliatory measures, including targeting oil-shipping routes out of the Persian Gulf, if neighbors join the US economic campaign against Iran.