Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, commented on the current state of Iran-U.S. relations and the possibility of war in an interview with Al Jazeera. He emphasized that there are no plans for a meeting with American officials and that the news published in this regard is merely media speculation.
Mediation by Qatar and Pakistan
Araghchi noted that Iran does not see a necessity for a meeting with the Americans at this time, and Iran's conditions for negotiations have been clearly defined. According to him, Qatari and Pakistani mediators are still negotiating these conditions. The Iranian Foreign Minister emphasized that the message from Wens has been carefully reviewed and discussed in high-level meetings.
He also pointed out: "If Washington's goal with Wens' message is to exacerbate differences, this would be a new mistake added to America's previous errors." Araghchi emphasized that the American side's efforts to open a dialogue and broader understanding are viewed positively, but these efforts must be accompanied by Washington's agreement to Iran's conditions for a decision to be made regarding the direct or indirect nature of the negotiations.
Readiness for Various Scenarios
The Iranian Foreign Minister also referred to the status of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, stating: "There is still a long way to go for cooperation to return to normal." He added that Iran is a member of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and is committed to its obligations under this framework.
Araghchi further stated: "We have updated our military capabilities, addressed weaknesses, and tested new weapons." He also emphasized: "Iran's armed forces are at the highest level of readiness" and do not rule out any possibility of war. He added: "We are prepared for all scenarios" and called for an end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.
At the end, Araghchi referred to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, stating that this is conditional on accepting the new shipping route defined by Iran and the Sultanate of Oman in this strait and closing other routes. He also stressed the need to restore oil exemptions and release all of Iran's blocked assets, including our assets in Qatar. The Qatari side has proposed that the implementation period of Iran's proposal be reduced to five days, and at this stage, we have reached a proposal that reduces the implementation period to two days.
Read more: Abbas Araghchi: We Will Not Negotiate About the Missile Program · Progress in Indirect Negotiations Between Washington and Tehran
