Araghchi: The U.S. betrayed the negotiating table

At the beginning of the meeting, Araghchi stated: “I thank all the countries that condemned the blatant aggression of the Zionist regime and the United States against Iran, and those that expressed solidarity with the Iranian government and people.”

He continued: “The aggression by the U.S. and the Zionist regime against Iran was a violation of international law. It is regrettable that some countries did not condemn these acts.”

The foreign minister added that around 120 countries had condemned the aggression. “Unfortunately, the UN Security Council did not condemn these attacks, nor did the IAEA Board of Governors. Iran’s nuclear facilities were damaged in the attacks, but the greater harm was to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and international law,” he said.

Araghchi emphasized: “Iran has been a committed member of the NPT and has cooperated with the IAEA. This cooperation has not stopped, but it has taken a new form. From now on, our engagement with the IAEA will be managed by the Supreme National Security Council.”

He added that the agency's requests for continued cooperation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the council, taking into account safety and security concerns.

“Our nuclear facilities were attacked militarily. Approaching them now poses serious risks, such as the potential spread of radioactive materials or leftover war munitions. For inspectors to access these facilities, safety and security must be assured.”

Reiterating that cooperation with the IAEA continues in a new format, Araghchi said: “There is no solution other than returning to diplomacy and a negotiated, agreed-upon resolution. The recent war has made this clearer than ever.”

He further stated: “Iran remains ready to use diplomatic channels to build confidence. But first, the other parties must demonstrate that they truly seek diplomacy and are not using it as a cover for other objectives.”

Araghchi explained that during the negotiations with the U.S., Iran was also consulting with the E3 (Germany, France, and the UK): “They can play a role in diplomacy. However, they mistakenly believe that the snapback mechanism gives them leverage over Iran’s nuclear issue. This is a misconception. If they resort to the snapback, they will only complicate the resolution process — a mistake the U.S. already made by opting for a military approach. Resorting to snapback by Europe would be equally damaging to diplomacy.”

He warned: “Using the snapback mechanism would mark the end of Europe’s role in the Iranian nuclear issue.”

Referring to recent developments, Araghchi said: “We hope reason prevails in Europe and the U.S. and that they abandon coercive tools in favor of diplomacy. There is no alternative to a negotiated solution.”

He stressed: “In any diplomatic resolution, the rights of the Iranian people — including the right to enrich uranium — must be respected. We will not accept any deal that does not include enrichment. Enrichment is one of the great scientific achievements of Iranian scientists. We will defend this achievement, which has been the target of intense pressure and was one of the reasons the recent war was imposed on us.”

He added: “If negotiations are to be held, under the outlined conditions, they will be solely about the nuclear issue. No other subjects will be on the table.”

“Iran will preserve its capabilities — especially its military power — under any circumstances. In the recent war, we demonstrated our military strength. These capabilities are not up for negotiation.”

In another part of his remarks, Araghchi said: “For over 20 years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has worked to prove the peaceful nature of its nuclear program to those concerned. We’ve pursued every possible avenue to demonstrate that, under the Supreme Leader’s fatwa, our nuclear program is and will remain peaceful.”

“If we had any intention of pursuing nuclear weapons, we would have done so already — and now would be the perfect excuse. But we adhere to principles rooted in our Islamic and human beliefs. We consider nuclear weapons not only inhumane but also un-Islamic based on the Supreme Leader’s fatwa.”

He continued: “We have always been open to dialogue about our nuclear program, and we remain so. But it is only natural that any new negotiations must be guaranteed not to be derailed by war.”

Araghchi told the audience: “As you know, we were engaged in negotiations when Israel, in coordination with the U.S., attacked Iran. Then, the U.S. itself directly targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities. The Americans betrayed diplomacy and the negotiating table.”

“If they now seek to resume talks, they must provide assurances that such actions will not be repeated and that we will not see similar behavior again.”

He concluded: “By attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities, the Americans made a diplomatic solution much harder to reach — even though it was clear from the beginning that there is no military solution to Iran’s nuclear issue. The recent attack reaffirmed this fact.”

“Iran’s nuclear program cannot be eliminated through bombs or military strikes, and the reason is simple: Iran has acquired the technology and knowledge, which cannot be destroyed through force. However, to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s program, a negotiated solution is possible — as we saw in 2015. That agreement was the result of diplomacy, and the entire world recognized it as a success. Diplomacy works and can resolve even the most complex issues.”