On Saturday, Iran’s foreign minister indicated he would agree to revive nuclear discussions with the US, provided that attacks against Iran cease, as reported by state media.
Abbas Araguchi mentioned during a speech to diplomats in Tehran that Iran is always open to discussing its nuclear program. However, he emphasized that if talks are resumed, they shouldn’t lead to war.
He pointed to the recent 12-day barrage of Israeli artillery targeting Iran’s nuclear and military sites, along with a US strike on June 22. Araguchi insisted that if the US and others truly want to engage with Iran again, there must be a strong assurance that such military actions won’t happen again.
He remarked that the attacks complicated the path to diplomatic solutions.
Following the recent strike, Iran halted cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, resulting in the withdrawal of inspectors.
Araghchi stated that according to Iranian law, his response to requests for cooperation would depend on Iran’s national interests. He also mentioned that inspections should be conducted with Iran’s security needs and the safety of inspectors in mind.
He raised concerns about the risks associated with radioactive materials and potential explosions at the attacked nuclear sites.
Additionally, he reiterated Iran’s commitment to continuing uranium enrichment.
President Donald Trump has remained firm, stating that this won’t occur.
Meanwhile, Israel contends that Tehran is now close to developing nuclear weapons.
In a report from 2003, the US Intelligence Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency assessed that Iran had maintained an organized nuclear weapons program, although Tehran has since enriched uranium to 60%.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian revealed in a recent interview that Iranian authorities still lack access to assess the damage inflicted by US airstrikes on their nuclear facilities.
