IRAN has dismissed the prospect of holding direct negotiations with the United States, calling such talks “meaningless” in light of recent threats from former US President Donald Trump.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that direct talks with the US were not possible at present. His remarks came after Trump, in a recent statement, expressed a preference for direct dialogue with Tehran over its nuclear programme. However, Trump also warned that if diplomatic efforts failed, the US would consider bombing Iran.
Speaking last Thursday, Trump said, “I think it goes faster and you understand the other side a lot better than if you go through intermediaries,” referring to direct negotiations.
Responding to this, Araghchi said, “Direct negotiations would be meaningless with a party that constantly threatens to resort to force in violation of the UN Charter and expresses contradictory positions through different officials.” His comments were issued via a statement from Iran’s foreign ministry.
Araghchi reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to diplomacy but insisted the country would only consider indirect talks under the current circumstances. “Iran keeps itself prepared for all possible scenarios. Just as it is serious about negotiations, it will also be resolute in defending its national interests and sovereignty,” he said.
On Saturday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also addressed the issue, stating that Iran remained open to dialogue with the United States, but only “on equal footing”. He questioned the sincerity of Washington’s call for talks, asking, “If you want negotiations, then what is the point of threatening?”
The recent exchange comes amid ongoing tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme. Western nations, led by the United States, have long suspected Iran of attempting to develop nuclear weapons — a charge Tehran consistently denies, asserting that its nuclear activities are strictly for civilian purposes.
On Saturday, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, declared that the country was fully prepared for war, stating, “We are not worried about war at all. We will not be the initiators of war, but we are ready for any war,” according to Iran’s official IRNA news agency.
Iran’s nuclear policy has remained a subject of global focus since the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed with the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, plus Germany.
The deal offered sanctions relief in return for limitations on Iran’s nuclear activities, ensuring they remained peaceful in nature.
However, in 2018, President Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the agreement and reimposed sanctions. In response, Iran gradually reduced its compliance with the deal and increased the pace of its nuclear development.
Adding to the current tensions, Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned on Monday that while Iran is not seeking nuclear arms, it might be compelled to pursue them if it faces a military threat. “If there is an attack against us, we will have no choice but to consider that option,” he stated.
