By The South Asia Times

TEHRAN / ISLAMABAD  - Just hours before high-stakes negotiations were set to begin in Islamabad, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a stark warning to Washington, declaring that Iran "will not bow to coercion" and accusing American officials of seeking Tehran's surrender rather than a genuine agreement.

The tweet, posted on X late Monday, cast a shadow over what Pakistan has hailed as "historic talks" aimed at de-escalating months of tensions that have shaken the Middle East.

"Honoring commitments is the basis of meaningful dialogue," Pezeshkian wrote. "Deep historical mistrust in Iran toward U.S. gov conduct remains, while unconstructive & contradictory signals from American officials carry a bitter message: they seek Iran's surrender. Iranians do not submit to force."

In a follow-up post, he added: "Adherence to commitments is the logic that justifies any kind of dialogue. In addition to the deep historical distrust in Iran toward the background of the U.S. government's behavior and performance, the non-constructive and contradictory approach of U.S. officials in recent days carries a bitter message: they seek Iran's surrender. The people of Iran will not bow to coercion."

The remarks appeared directed at US President Donald Trump, who on Sunday warned that if Iran rejects a "fair and reasonable deal," the United States would "knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!"

A day earlier, on Sunday evening, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke directly with President Pezeshkian in what he described as a "warm and constructive conversation" on the evolving regional situation.

Sharif said he appreciated Iran's engagement, including its high-level delegation to Islamabad for the talks, and recent discussions between Iranian leadership and Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir in Tehran.

"I also shared insights from my recent engagements with leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Türkiye," Sharif posted on social media.

He assured Pezeshkian that "with the support of friends and partners, Pakistan remains fully committed to its role as an honest and sincere facilitator of lasting peace and regional stability."

The contrasting messages -- Pezeshkian's defiance and Sharif's optimism -- capture the fragility of the moment. Both US and Iranian delegations are now expected to arrive in Islamabad, with technical teams expected to meet later Tuesday to prepare documents for what sources say could be a preliminary agreement.

But Pezeshkian's warning makes clear that any deal will require more than security arrangements and diplomatic niceties. For Iran, the issue is trust -- or the profound lack of it -- accumulated over decades of US sanctions, threats, and what Tehran views as broken promises.

Pakistan has done its part. The world is watching. But as Pezeshkian made clear, Iran is not entering these negotiations expecting a friend.

It is entering, expecting a fight.