Iran on Saturday pushed back against what it called a “misrepresentation” of its diplomatic stance by American media, asserting that it has never declined outreach from Pakistan and remains open to talks aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Tehran “never refused to go to Islamabad”, expressing appreciation for Pakistan’s mediation efforts even as negotiations remain stalled over what Iran described as unacceptable terms.The remarks come amid reports that Pakistan-led efforts to broker a ceasefire have run aground, with negotiations faltering over key conditions reportedly pushed by Washington.The Wall Street Journal, quoting mediators (Pakistan officials), had stated that the current round of efforts by regional countries led by Pakistan to reach a cease-fire between the US and Iran had reached a dead end.“Iran has officially told the mediators it isn’t willing to meet US officials in Islamabad in the coming days and that US demands are unacceptable,” the mediators were quoted as saying by the WSJ.Terming the report as a “misrepresentation” of Iran’s position, Araghchi said that Iran is “deeply grateful” to Pakistan for its diplomatic initiative.“What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting end to the illegal war that is imposed on us,” he said, underlining Tehran’s insistence on a durable settlement rather than a temporary ceasefire.Araghchi’s statement, including a message of goodwill towards Pakistan, appears aimed at reinforcing Tehran’s openness to diplomacy while shifting blame for the deadlock onto external actors.Iran executes two linked to Opposition groupIran on Saturday executed two men it said were convicted of links to an Opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI), and of carrying out armed attacks, domestic media reported. The PMOI said Iran was “trying to hide its weakness by executing political prisoners, especially PMOI members and supporters”.