Iran’s deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi states the US must end all strikes for diplomatic talks to resume: “We do not want war. We want to engage in dialogue.”
Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, told the BBC on Sunday that the United States must cease all military strikes against Iran if it intends to resume diplomatic negotiations.
Takht-Ravanchi revealed that the Trump administration has conveyed, via intermediaries, a desire to return to negotiations. However, he emphasized the lack of clarity from the US regarding its stance on further attacks while talks are underway, calling it a “very important question.”
Iran, according to Takht-Ravanchi, will “insist” on its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, refuting allegations of secretly pursuing nuclear weapons.
He told the BBC, “The level of that can be discussed, the capacity can be discussed, but to say that you should not have enrichment, you should have zero enrichment, and if do you not agree, we will bomb you – that is the law of the jungle.”
US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said last week that the US and Iran are already in the early stages of renewed discussions over Iran’s nuclear program. Trump echoed those sentiments in comments to reporters on Friday.
On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi firmly dismissed any suggestions that Iran is preparing to resume nuclear negotiations with the United States in the wake of the recent conflict.
“Some speculations about the resumption of negotiations should not be taken seriously,” the Iranian top diplomat declared, adding, “I would like to state clearly that no agreement, arrangement or conversation has been made to start new negotiations. No plan has been set yet to start negotiations.”
Asked about potential future talks with the US, Takht-Ravanchi stated no date has been set, and the agenda remains uncertain. He stressed the need for the US to be “quite clear” on whether acts of aggression will recur during dialogue and “what they are going to offer us in order to make the necessary confidence required for such a dialogue.”
When questioned about rethinking its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, Takht-Ravanchi firmly stated, “Why should we agree to such a proposal?” He reiterated that Iran’s enrichment, including to 60% purity, is “for peaceful purposes.”
