Iran Says Deal Possible Through Indirect Talks With United States
Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi rules out direct negotiations but expresses readiness to engage via intermediaries on nuclear concerns.
Tehran, Nov 2: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said that while Tehran is not interested in direct negotiations with Washington, a potential agreement could be achieved through indirect talks.
In an interview with Qatar’s Al Jazeera, released on Saturday, Araghchi affirmed Iran’s willingness to engage diplomatically to address concerns surrounding its nuclear program, according to a report by Xinhua News Agency.
“We have no desire to hold direct negotiations with Washington, but we can achieve an agreement through indirect negotiations,” Araghchi stated.
Reiterating that Iran’s nuclear activities are peaceful, the minister emphasized that the country’s uranium enrichment program cannot be halted, adding, “What could not be achieved by war cannot be achieved through politics.”
Araghchi said Iran’s 400 kg stockpile of 60 percent enriched uranium remains buried beneath the rubble of its bombed nuclear facilities, including Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, which were targeted by U.S. airstrikes on June 22.
“We suffered major losses in our nuclear facilities — both in terms of structures and equipment — but our technology remains intact,” he noted.
Before the June bombings, Iran and the United States had held five rounds of indirect negotiations focused on reviving dialogue over Tehran’s nuclear activities and the lifting of U.S. sanctions. However, the process stalled following Israel’s surprise airstrikes on multiple Iranian sites, later joined by U.S. forces.
In recent months, Washington has repeatedly urged Tehran to halt uranium enrichment and limit its missile program, but Iran has rejected these demands, asserting that both issues are non-negotiable and part of its sovereign rights.
