Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, dismisses a US task force aimed at restricting Iran's land trade as a diversion following the Republicans' midterm losses, according to Reuters. He made the remarks on 9 November while defending Tehran's two-day plan for restarting talks.
According to Reuters, as carried by Arab News, Baghaei also said US pressure on Iraq to close most of its borders with Iran should not affect Tehran's ties with Baghdad.
Reuters reports that the two-day timeline shortens an earlier seven-day proposal. That plan called for Washington first to halt hostilities, lift the blockade and waive sanctions. Baghaei said Iran wants US sanctions and the naval blockade lifted, and the war ended on all fronts, before negotiations start.
Reuters also reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio called some of Iran's conditions "outrageous and ridiculous". That matches the wording in an earlier summary of his remarks in Paris on 8 November. The full context of the remark has not been independently checked.