Araghchi Denies Rumors of Contact with the U.S.
WANA (Oct 08) – Iran’s Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, strongly rejected a recent report by Kuwait’s Al-Jarida newspaper claiming that he had been in contact with the U.S. special envoy to the region.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting, Araghchi said: “The speculation by Kuwait’s Al-Jarida newspaper is incorrect, and I categorically deny it. There has been no contact between me and Mr. Witkoff.”
The senior Iranian diplomat emphasized that there have been no discussions regarding the resumption of negotiations between Tehran and Washington, and that all reports suggesting otherwise are “baseless.”
Earlier, Al-Jarida had claimed that recent communications took place between Araghchi and Steve Witkoff, the U.S. representative for regional affairs, about reviving the Iran–U.S. nuclear talks. These talks had been halted following Israel’s surprise attack on Iran in June and the start of the so-called “Twelve-Day War.” According to the report, both sides allegedly agreed on the need to return to the negotiating table and discussed the possibility of holding secret meetings in Oman or Qatar.
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In another part of the Al-Jarida report, citing an alleged source within Iran’s Foreign Ministry, it was claimed that Witkoff had asked Tehran to support the then-U.S. president’s plan to end the Gaza war. The source added that Araghchi, while expressing support for any initiative to stop the bloodshed in Gaza, had outlined Iran’s and the resistance groups’ positions.
However, in an official statement issued the night before last, Iran’s Foreign Ministry declared: “The Islamic Republic of Iran supports any decision made by the Palestinian people that would end the genocide, ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, respect the Palestinian nation’s right to self-determination, and allow the entry of humanitarian aid.”
The statement also warned about “the dangerous implications of unilateral proposals and Israel’s obstruction of its own commitments.”
According to Al-Jarida, the U.S. envoy allegedly tried to link the resumption of nuclear negotiations to the achievement of a ceasefire in Gaza. The newspaper claimed that Araghchi, in response, reiterated Tehran’s preconditions for any talks, including:
- Recognition of Iran’s right to uranium enrichment,
- Rejection of any negotiations over Iran’s missile program, and
- Non-linkage of the nuclear issue with regional matters.
The report concluded by asserting that, at the end of the alleged contact, Araghchi reaffirmed the Islamic Republic’s principled stance on both the negotiations and regional developments.
A book with a cover design of the Iran-US negotiations is seen in Tehran, Iran, April 26, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
