Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed that nuclear negotiations with the United States have taken place under the threat of military attacks. He stated that future negotiations would only be possible after securing clear results on the battlefield.
In an interview with Iran's state-affiliated Mehr News Agency on July 20, Araghchi said he approached discussions with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Wittekopf with the mindset that they could be attacked at any moment.
He recounted asking Wittekopf, "Have you ever thought that the entire meeting could be bombed at any moment? Have you ever considered that this could be your last call with your family?"
Araghchi also revealed that the U.S. demanded Iran completely halt uranium enrichment before any military conflict. He stated, "We resisted against the illegal and irrational demand to bring enrichment to zero and did not back down. When the U.S. realized it could not achieve its goals through negotiations, it started a war."
He noted that the U.S. had offered to support the construction of power plants and infrastructure in exchange for concessions from Iran, which was rejected. "They cannot threaten or bribe us," he emphasized, adding that he enters negotiations prepared for anything, making threats ineffective.
However, Araghchi left the door open for negotiations. In a separate interview with the Iranian state news agency IRNA, he stated, "War can end through complete military victory or negotiations. The appropriate time to negotiate is when we have secured clear military and strategic results on the battlefield."
He added, "Determining when to stop the war and start negotiations is the most critical decision in crisis management. The continuation of the war should be decided based on the potential gains, casualties, and national burdens involved."
Araghchi claimed that Iran's international influence has grown as a result of the current war, stating, "Despite some losses, we have emerged as a decisive international actor and demonstrated the strength of our regime."
Additionally, he asserted that the U.S. and Israel have misjudged Iran's military response capabilities and domestic cohesion. He argued that Israel believed it could topple the Iranian regime with a short-term attack but failed to prepare for a prolonged conflict, and that the Iranian people have not turned against their government.
Araghchi acknowledged that security vulnerabilities within Iran remain unresolved. He noted that the circumstances allowing the U.S. and Israel to target Iranian leadership on February 28 were due to security gaps, stating, "These vulnerabilities still exist."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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