ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iran’s foreign ministry said Monday that a June memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the US was no longer relevant after Washington allegedly violated its terms, rejecting the idea that a 60-day negotiation period could still be extended.

On June 18, Washington and Tehran signed a deal, setting a 60-day period for negotiations toward a final peace deal. After 21 days, however, the deal fell apart, with both sides targeting each other’s interests in the region.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in a press conference that “the negotiations never started, because only a few weeks after the signing of the memorandum of understanding on June 18, the US committed gross and widespread violations of its text, and therefore, the 60-day discussion is no longer relevant.”

He added that the deal was intended to provide time to discuss lifting US sanctions on Iran and the country’s nuclear program during the 60-day period. “If we did not reach a conclusion within these 60 days, it would be extended,” he said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said Saturday there is no ceasefire with the US to extend, rejecting reports that Tehran and Washington had agreed to prolong the 60-day period set for negotiations.

“We did not have a ceasefire that could now be extended; we had an end to the war, which has now entered a new phase,” Iranian news outlet Shahrara News quoted Araghchi as saying.

Several media outlets reported that the two sides had agreed to extend the 60-day ceasefire or negotiations period, claims Araghchi rejected.

Earlier in August, Araghchi told reporters that he sees “no possibility” of resuming talks until Washington ends its “violations” of a joint understanding and makes amends.

The US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February, with Washington maintaining that the offensive was intended to eliminate Iran's nuclear capabilities and impose limits on its missile program.