This statement was made at a press conference in Istanbul, where Araghchi met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. He also commented on rumors of possible new military actions by the U.S. against Iran, claiming that in June Washington did not achieve its goals and "suffered a defeat."
Araghchi emphasized that in the event of a new attack, Iran is ready to give "a very strong response," adding that the country is now better prepared for such a scenario than it was in June. He also warned that direct U.S. intervention in the conflict could lead to its expansion beyond bilateral confrontations.
The Iranian Foreign Minister clarified that any future negotiations will exclusively concern issues related to the nuclear program. Topics related to Iran's missile capabilities and defense systems will not be discussed. "No country puts its defense up for discussion," he stated.
In the past year, Iran and the U.S. have already held negotiations regarding the nuclear program; however, they were interrupted in June following attacks by Israel and the U.S. on Iranian facilities.
Earlier, The New York Times reported that Donald Trump is demanding additional steps from Iran to limit its nuclear program, including a complete cessation of uranium enrichment and restrictions on the development of ballistic missiles. According to the publication, if the negotiations fail, the U.S. is considering various pressure options, including possible strikes on Iranian nuclear and missile facilities, but a final decision on these measures has not yet been made.
