Iran rejects US talks under “maximum pressure” policy, warns of regional conflagration

Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has firmly stated that the country will not resume negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program as long as President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" policy remains in place.

Speaking on the sidelines of an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Jeddah, Araghchi reiterated Tehran’s position on the matter, saying, “We will not enter any direct negotiations with the US as long as they continue their maximum pressure policy and their threats,” Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The statement follows ongoing tensions between Iran and the US, particularly regarding the 2015 nuclear deal, which the Trump administration abandoned in 2018, imposing a series of sanctions on Tehran. The current impasse continues to heighten the risk of further diplomatic and military confrontations.

In response to mounting concerns over the security of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, Araghchi also addressed Israeli threats to carry out military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. The Foreign Minister emphasized that Iran’s nuclear program is resilient to such threats, stating, “Iran’s nuclear program cannot be destroyed through military operations … this is a technology that we have achieved, and the technology is in the brains and cannot be bombed.”

Furthermore, Araghchi warned of the dire regional implications of any Israeli military action. He cautioned that an attack on Iran could ignite a much broader and more catastrophic conflict in the Middle East. “I believe that if an attack on Iran were to take place, this attack could turn into a widespread fire in the region — not that we will do that,” he said.

By Vafa Guliyeva