Tehran: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi reaffirmed Tehran’s willingness to engage in discussions over its nuclear program, stating that "Iran has always been, and will be, 'ready for talks.'"
Speaking at a meeting with foreign ambassadors and representatives on Saturday, Araghchi stated that any renewed negotiations must be safeguarded from escalating into armed conflict. "However, it should naturally be guaranteed that in case the negotiation starts again, it will not lead to a war to be waged by the United States or other parties," he said.
Araghchi noted that the recent clashes between Israel and Iran underscored the urgency of diplomatic resolution. He said, "The recent Israel-Iran fighting proved that there is no other alternative but to return to diplomacy and a negotiated and agreed solution," according to a report from Xinhua news agency citing the Iranian Students' News Agency.
He accused the United States of undermining diplomacy, stating, "The United States 'betrayed diplomacy and the negotiating table' by assisting Israel in attacking Iran and by directly targeting Iranian nuclear facilities afterwards."
For talks to resume, Araghchi insisted that Washington must commit to preventing a repeat of previous hostilities. "If the United States seeks to resume the negotiation, it must guarantee that the same scenario will not unfold again," he said.
He stressed the importance of safeguarding Iran’s nuclear rights in any potential talks. "In any negotiation, the nuclear rights of the Iranian people, including the domestic enrichment of uranium, should be respected," he said, adding that "any potential negotiation should solely focus on Iran's nuclear program, and its military capabilities will be non-negotiable."
Araghchi stated that cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continues in a new format. "Tehran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has not stopped and has only taken on a new form," he said. He added that future collaboration with the agency will now be overseen by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, which will assess future steps based on national security considerations.
This shift follows legislation enacted on July 1, under which Iran formally suspended previous cooperation channels with the IAEA, transferring oversight from Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation to the Supreme National Security Council.
Tensions escalated dramatically on June 13 when Israel launched a series of major airstrikes across Iran, targeting nuclear and military installations. Iranian authorities reported that the attacks killed senior commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians, with many others injured.
In response, Iran launched waves of missile and drone strikes against Israeli targets, resulting in further casualties and infrastructure damage.
After 12 days of fighting, a ceasefire was reached on June 24, bringing the conflict to a halt.
(inputs from IANS)