AhlulBayt News Agency: Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says he is still confident that a deal with the United States is achievable given the two sides engage in a 'fair and just' nuclear talks.
In an interview with the American network CNN on Sunday, Araghchi addressed a number of issues related to Iran-US hostilities, including the recent military threats by the Trump administration and Tehran's warning against any escalation in the region.
“Unfortunately, we have lost our trust [in] the US as a negotiating partner,” he said, but referred to the exchange of messages between Tehran and Washington through friendly regional countries as “fruitful”. Araghchi cited Washington's unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 landmark deal and the attacks on Iran by Israel and then by the US last year as some of the reasons behind losing the trust.
In response to a question whether the two sides would engage in direct or indirect talks, the top diplomat stressed the need for addressing the “substance of negotiations” rather than their form.
Stating that Iran completely agrees with President Trump's call for no nuclear weapons, he said, Tehran can ensure that its nuclear program will remain peaceful forever, but in return, it expects the lifting of sanctions as well as respect for Iran’s right to continue nuclear enrichment for peaceful purposes.
He suggested that if the US negotiating team acts on Trump's statements, then reaching an agreement is possible, warning that some elements and countries want to drag the US into this war for their own interests and that Trump is wise enough to make the right decision.
On questions of Iran’s missile arsenal and the country’s support for regional resistance groups, Araghchi said the focus must be on Iran’s nuclear program. “Let’s not talk about impossible things,” he said, “And not lose the opportunity to achieve a fair and equitable deal, which I said is achievable even in a short period of time.”
Iran is not worried about a war, and is fully prepared to respond to any attack, more harshly and resolutely than the 12-day war in June last year, Araghchi said in response to the potential US strikes, warning that such a conflict would likely spiral beyond Iran.
He further said that a war, “would be a disaster for everybody,” as US bases across the region would be the targets for Iran’s military, which had showed its missile strengths in response to Israeli aggression last year.
Araghchi also responded to the question on the recent foreign-backed unrest, saying “terrorist elements” received orders from abroad to go on rampage and bloodshed on the streets. “We consider those three days [January 10-12] as the continuation of those 12 days of war that was an operation led by Mossad from outside and of course, we crushed that operation,” he explained.
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