Iran dismissed the prospect of negotiations under US policy of “maximum pressure
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that Iran will abstain from entering discussions with the United States unless such negotiations proceed without any form of pressure or intimidation.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has asserted that Tehran will not commence discussions with the United States unless the negotiations occur without the presence of coercion or intimidation.
In a recent interview with Iran newspaper, Araghchi stated that Tehran stands to gain nothing by engaging in talks amidst the ongoing “maximum pressure” campaign orchestrated by U.S. President Donald Trump.
He asserted that before the Islamic Republic can engage in equitable negotiations, it is imperative to demonstrate to the United States the ineffectiveness of its pressure policy. He further emphasized that Iran’s approach to countering the “maximum pressure” strategy is through a stance of “maximum resistance.”
The chief diplomat conveyed his approval of the European Union’s intermediary efforts in the recent negotiations focused on lifting sanctions imposed on Iran. He affirmed that Iran is committed to ongoing dialogue with European nations, while simultaneously engaging in detailed discussions with Russia and China.
In a recent statement, it was underscored that the United States must eventually remove sanctions as a prerequisite to engaging in direct talks. The official emphasized that negotiations would only proceed when both parties are on equal terms, free from external pressure and threats, and assured that the nation’s interests are fully safeguarded.
Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has announced that Iran has developed a strategic plan for potential nuclear negotiations. This plan is being considered as the nation participates in current indirect discussions and maintains its collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), led by Director General Rafael Grossi.
In a recent interview with Fox News, former President Donald Trump stated that he had dispatched a letter to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. In the correspondence, he reportedly cautioned Iran to engage in negotiations over a nuclear agreement or face potential military action.
For several days, Iranian officials reported that they had not received any such letter.
On Wednesday, Araghchi announced that he had received the letter through Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the President of the United Arab Emirates.
On the same day, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed President Donald Trump’s proposal for renewed negotiations, labeling it “a deception.” Khamenei argued that the offer was designed solely to create an appearance that Iran is unwilling to engage in dialogue. This statement marks yet another instance of Khamenei rejecting overtures for new nuclear discussions with the Trump administration.
He stated that Iran engaged in negotiations with the United States over several years, but noted that former President Donald Trump ultimately discarded and dismantled the finalized and signed agreements reached through those discussions.
He alluded to former President Donald Trump’s 2018 decision to unilaterally withdraw the United States from the 2015 nuclear agreement, commonly referred to as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). In the wake of this withdrawal, Trump subsequently implemented a set of sanctions on Iran, which Tehran has denounced as illegal.
Since 2021, the parties still engaged in the agreement have been intermittently negotiating to lift sanctions imposed on Iran and address concerns surrounding its nuclear program.
