Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi announced on Sunday that, despite American attempts to reach out, no direct diplomatic exchanges have taken place between Tehran and Washington over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
In remarks to the official news agency of Iran’s parliament, later quoted by Russia’s TASS, Araqchi made clear, “We have expressed our point of view, so we adhere to diplomacy and the path of negotiations, but only indirectly. Of course, it must be recognized that not a single negotiation stage has taken place so far.”
He also made it clear that comparisons between any future deal and the 2003 disarmament accord Libya signed are unfounded and irrelevant in the current context. “The United States can only dream,” Araqchi said, firmly rejecting the notion of a Libyan-style agreement, which had required Tripoli to surrender its arsenal of weapons of mass destruction.
The statements follow a recent rebuff by Iran of a proposal by President Donald Trump to engage in face-to-face discussions. Trump’s offer was reportedly conveyed in a letter sent directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Trump has issued stern warnings in recent days, cautioning Iran that failure to cooperate on nuclear negotiations could bring serious consequences. “Bad things” would occur, he said, if Iran refuses to come to terms.
He later escalated his rhetoric, warning, “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing — and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”
In what appeared to be a show of readiness and resolve, Iran’s government-aligned publication, the Tehran Times, posted on X that its missile systems were primed for deployment: “Iran’s missiles are loaded onto launchers in all underground missile cities and are ready for launch.”
Last week, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a sharp rebuke, warning the United States not to follow through on its threats. If it did, he warned, America would be dealt “a strong blow.”
Despite these heated exchanges, President Trump told reporters just a few days later aboard Air Force One that he still believes direct engagement is the most productive path forward. “It’s better if we have direct talks. I think it goes faster and you understand the other side a lot better than if you go through intermediators,” he said.
He continued, “They wanted to use intermediators. I don’t think that’s necessarily true anymore. I think they’re concerned. I think they feel vulnerable and I don’t want them to feel that way.”
{Matzav.com}