Iranian foreign minister rules out direct talks with US following letter exchange

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has ruled out the possibility of direct negotiations with the United States, calling such talks “meaningless” in light of Washington’s threats and inconsistent messaging.

Speaking on April 6, Araghchi confirmed that no talks have taken place between Tehran and Washington since Iran responded to a letter from former US President Donald Trump, despite Trump’s appeal for negotiations to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

“We have expressed our position, and we remain committed to diplomacy and the path of negotiations — but only indirect ones,” Araghchi said in an interview with the Iranian parliamentary news agency. “It must be acknowledged that not a single round of talks has taken place so far.”

He dismissed the notion of a deal similar to the 2003 agreement with Libya, under which Muammar Gaddafi gave up his pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. “The United States can only dream of such an agreement with Iran,” Araghchi remarked.

The Iranian diplomat also criticised Washington’s recent rhetoric, particularly Trump’s warning last week that “if they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing.” Araghchi questioned the logic of this approach: “If you want negotiations, then what is the point of threatening?”

He reiterated Iran’s demand for equal footing in any diplomatic engagement with the US, describing Washington as “a party that constantly threatens to resort to force in violation of the UN Charter and that expresses contradictory positions from its various officials.”

Tehran maintains that its nuclear programme is purely civilian and peaceful in nature. However, Western governments, led by the United States, have long accused Iran of covertly seeking nuclear weapons capabilities.

Tensions have escalated since 2018, when Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — a landmark deal between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany. The agreement had offered Iran relief from international sanctions in return for strict limitations on its nuclear programme.

Following the US withdrawal, Iran gradually reduced its compliance with the deal, amassing enough enriched uranium to build multiple nuclear warheads, according to reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which monitors Iran’s nuclear activities.

By Vugar Khalilov