Baghaei: The United States is not serious about negotiations

Baghaei, referring to Israel’s violation of the Gaza ceasefire, said: “Ceasefire violations in Gaza continue; over the past 45 days, 500 violations have been committed by the Zionist regime.”

He added: “The genocide in Gaza, which began two years ago, is ongoing. Israel’s confidence in its impunity has enabled the continuation of this genocide. The Zionist regime has used prohibited weapons, including cluster bombs, against southern Lebanon. The theft of organs from Palestinian detainees is another new dimension of the regime’s crimes.”

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that countries and officials — including those in the United States — acknowledge that genocide is taking place in Gaza, saying: “This is an undeniable reality.”

He emphasized: “Anyone with a sense of responsibility must shout this truth. We are witnessing a wave of awakening in Western countries regarding the crimes of the Zionist regime. The world has awakened to these atrocities.”

Western arms to Israel

Baghaei, addressing the continued flow of Western weapons to the occupied territories, said:

“There is no ceasefire in Gaza. How can anyone speak of a ceasefire when 350 people have been martyred in 45 days? Germany and other suppliers of weapons to the Zionist regime are fully aware of how these weapons are used to kill civilians in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon. These countries must be held accountable for their complicity in these crimes.”

Letter from Iran’s president to the Saudi Crown Prince

Regarding the content of the president’s letter to the Saudi crown prince, Baghaei said: “Both I and Iran’s ambassador in Riyadh have stated our position. This was simply a routine letter exchanged as part of Iran–Saudi communications related to the Hajj.”

He stressed that the letter included Iran’s appreciation for Saudi Arabia concerning last year’s Hajj and expressed readiness to continue cooperation. Due to domestic developments at the time, Iranian pilgrims had faced difficulties returning home, and Saudi Arabia and Oman provided commendable assistance.

Negotiations with the United States

Commenting on speculation about negotiations between Iran and the United States and talk of a new mediator, Baghaei stated:

“The issue of mediation is not what matters. What matters is U.S. policy and its lack of seriousness. As long as the United States insists on dictating its demands, no negotiations will take place. Mediation is secondary.”

He added that Iran maintains good relations with Saudi Arabia and appreciates the Kingdom and other regional states for their efforts to reduce tensions.

Baghaei said the United States is trying to present “a show and a posture” to appear supportive of diplomacy, but in practice, this has not been the case.

“The attack on Iran in the middle of the negotiation process showed the extent of U.S. insincerity. In our talks with the U.S., securing Iran’s national interests is the central principle for which we fight. The United States does not believe in negotiations at all.”

IAEA resolution against Iran

Regarding the adoption of a resolution against Iran by the IAEA Board of Governors, Baghaei said: “The P5+1 no longer exists. This resolution violates established procedures and regulations governing the Agency’s work and contradicts accepted Security Council practices, thereby increasing the complexity of the issue.”

He added that the resolution undermines the independence of the Agency and was drafted with no goodwill: “Its content is a stain on the initiators and authors, as it fails to make even the slightest reference to the root cause — the joint U.S.-Israeli aggression against Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities.”

Cairo Agreement with the IAEA

Regarding the cancellation of the Cairo Agreement and Iran–IAEA relations, he said: “We need no mediator for our relationship with the Agency. We are a member of the Agency, and our mission engages directly with it.”

Baghaei emphasized Iran’s commitment to the NPT and said the main problem lies in the United States and the European troika ignoring obvious facts.

He reiterated that there is no deadlock in Iran’s relations with the IAEA: “As a member state, we expect the Agency and its leadership to adhere to their technical and professional duties. Following three rounds of intensive negotiations, we reached an understanding that defined the framework for cooperation in the new circumstances.”

However, the European troika, under U.S. pressure, deprived the Agency of this opportunity through their actions at the Security Council and the Board of Governors.

He added: “We made it clear in Cairo that any improper action would nullify the understanding. Iran will continue engagement with the Agency under the NPT and within the framework of parliament’s legislation. The actions of the troika and the U.S. will have consequences.”

Baghaei confirmed that the Cairo Agreement signed on September 9 had become null and void: “It is clear that this can no longer serve as the basis for Iran–Agency cooperation, as the other side blocked the positive path forward.”

Regarding Iran’s next steps, he said: “We will make decisions that best safeguard the country’s interests. Decisions on nuclear matters are made at the highest level and will be announced once finalized. Any decision will prioritize national interests under the NPT.”

He added that Iran is considering all options to protect its rights: “Imposing conditions on Iran through illegal acts or military aggression does not mean we will abandon our rights. When the foreign minister said enrichment had stopped due to the joint U.S.-Israeli attack, that did not mean we relinquished our right. We remain committed to continuing enrichment in accordance with the law.”

Chemical weapons issues

Responding to a question about Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s goals at the annual OPCW conference and Iran’s legal cases, Baghaei explained that Araghchi would attend the OPCW annual meeting in The Hague on Tuesday.

He said Iran uses every opportunity to keep alive the memory of the tragic events of the Iran–Iraq War, particularly the repeated use of chemical weapons by Saddam’s regime against Iranian and Iraqi civilians and soldiers. “This is a continuous mission for the Foreign Ministry and the entire system.”

He added that Iran seeks to highlight the inhuman nature of weapons of mass destruction and help prevent such tragedies from being repeated.

Baghaei noted that a conference titled “Burned Breaths” was held last week in memory of chemical-weapons victims, calling it an important gathering.

On the legal cases related to Germany’s support for Saddam’s chemical weapons program, he said: Several cases had already been filed, one of which concluded in the Netherlands, while others are ongoing.

He added that Germany had previously said its judiciary had addressed some of these allegations: “We asked Germany to share the outcomes of those proceedings and help clarify the scope of involvement by German companies and individuals in supplying Saddam with chemical weapons.”

Iranian citizen detained in France

Baghaei also commented on the case of Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian citizen detained in France, saying: “Esfandiari was detained without committing any crime or offense. Her case is progressing well, and we hope that after the court session — likely in mid-December — the grounds for her release and return to Iran will be prepared.”