Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected claims that Iran is seeking a ceasefire or negotiations, stating, “We will continue our defense until President Trump understands that this war is illegal and unwinnable.” Araghchi also noted that in negotiations with the U.S. before the attacks, Iran was ready to dilute its uranium enriched to 60 percent, saying, “This was an important offer and a significant concession to show that Iran is never after nuclear weapons.”
The Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakchi, in an interview with the US press, made statements regarding the war with the US, military tensions in the region, and developments in the Strait of Hormuz.
Responding to claims that Iran requested a ceasefire or negotiation, Arakchi said, “We have never requested a ceasefire, nor have we sought negotiations. We are ready to defend ourselves no matter how long it takes, and we have done so until now. We will continue our defense until President Trump realizes that this war is illegal and unwinnable.”
Speaking about negotiations with the US, Arakchi noted that the attacks occurred during a period of diplomatic contacts with Iran, stating, “We see no reason to talk to the Americans. Because when they decided to attack us, we were already in negotiations with them. This is happening for the second time, and we do not have a good experience with negotiations with the US. We were attacked while talks were ongoing. So what benefit is there in returning to the negotiation table?”
Rejecting claims that Iran’s attacks in the region were aimed at civilian targets, Arakchi stated, “We only target US assets, facilities, and military bases belonging to the US. Everything targeted belongs to the US. The truth is that the territories of some countries are being used for attacks against us. There are many examples of this. Just yesterday, short-range HIMARS rockets were used to attack our islands, and the territories of the United Arab Emirates were used for this attack. About a week ago, three F-15 fighter jets apparently fell in Kuwait due to friendly fire. But no one is asking what these planes were doing in Kuwait. These planes were attacking us using the airspace of a neighboring and friendly country. Therefore, we cannot remain silent about this.”
Regarding the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz, Arakchi stated, “We are ready to talk to countries that want to discuss the safe passage of their ships with us. However, the final decision on this matter belongs to our military forces. I cannot name a specific country, but some countries have contacted us to ensure the safe passage of their ships. Previously, some ships from various countries have been allowed to pass safely. We ensure the safe passage of ships because we have not closed this strait. Ships are not entering the region due to the insecurity caused by US attacks.”
In response to a question about the whereabouts of Iran’s approximately 440 kilograms of enriched uranium and who controls it, Arakchi said, “We did not disclose this amount. It has been verified and announced by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). However, this issue is not secret. The Agency has disclosed the exact amount of our enriched nuclear materials in many of its reports. The enriched uranium is currently under the rubble. Our nuclear facilities have been attacked, and everything is buried under the rubble. Of course, it is possible to extract them, but only under the supervision of the Agency. We currently have no plan to extract them from the rubble.”
Arakchi also stated that before the attacks, Iran was ready to dilute 60% enriched uranium in negotiations with the US, saying, “This was one of the elements of the agreement we negotiated with the Americans. I proposed that we are ready to reduce these materials to a lower enrichment level. This was an important offer and a significant concession to show that Iran has never sought and will never seek nuclear weapons.”
Emphasizing that there are currently no negotiations on the agenda, Arakchi said, “Everything depends on the future. If we decide to negotiate again with the US or other parties in the future, then we will decide what to put on the table. At the moment, there is no offer on the table.”
