WANA (Sep 30) – Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said “messages were exchanged with the Americans both indirectly and directly” and despite intensive diplomatic efforts in New York, no compromise was reached on the snapback mechanism due to “excessive demands by the United States and the alignment of European countries.”

 

Speaking on Tuesday in a summary of his activities during his New York visit, Araghchi said: “We had a completely busy week in New York with a wide range of activities. Part of it was related to the snapback issue, but we also took advantage of the General Assembly to advance bilateral relations, attend international gatherings, and participate in both UN and non-UN meetings.”

 

Over 31 Bilateral Meetings with Foreign Ministers

Araghchi noted that he held bilateral meetings with foreign ministers from more than 31 countries. “In those meetings, nuclear issues were raised, Iran’s positions were explained, and bilateral relations were reviewed. We also made decisions regarding economic cooperation, joint commissions, and other country-specific agreements,” he said.

 

He further explained his participation in various international forums:

  • A major summit on global development initiated by China.
  • A commemoration session marking the 1,500th anniversary of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), proposed by Iran within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and approved to be held in New York.
  • A four-party meeting on Afghanistan with Iran, Russia, China, and Pakistan, which he said carried significance beyond the UN framework.

 

Araghchi also held a meeting with the UN Secretary-General, during which he outlined Iran’s latest positions on the snapback issue.

 

“We Presented Rational Proposals”

“Regarding snapback, what happened was essentially an attempt to extract unreasonable and impossible concessions from Iran. In contrast, we presented entirely rational proposals, which even the Europeans admitted were reasonable,” the foreign minister stressed.

 

“No Compromise Reached Due to U.S. Excessive Demands”

“Throughout the week, we held numerous meetings with the three European countries, the UN Secretary-General, and the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Efforts were made to bridge the gap between the two sides’ proposals. But because of the excessive demands of the Americans and the support they received from the Europeans, we could not reach a compromise. We are here to defend the rights and interests of the Iranian people, and certainly, no agreement that undermines Iran’s interests will be acceptable to us,” Araghchi declared.

 

He emphasized that the week’s activities demonstrated Iran’s foreign policy commitment to taking every necessary step, until the last moment, to safeguard national interests.

 

Direct and Indirect Exchanges with the U.S.

Araghchi confirmed that “messages were exchanged with the Americans both indirectly and directly,” adding: “In the end, we are confident that we did everything necessary. It became clear, once again, as the Supreme Leader has said, that negotiations with the Americans are a complete dead end, and this was evident in this process as well.”

 

“Not Intimidated by the Snapback Mechanism”

“They imagined that the monster they created out of snapback would frighten us into giving up any concession. Absolutely not. The people will see that economically, no sanctions beyond those already imposed by the U.S. will be applied. Some lists may be added or removed, but they will not have a significant effect. The political and sometimes strategic impacts exist, of course, and we must counter those as well,” Araghchi asserted.

 

Upcoming Legal Challenges at the UN

He explained that he had also spoken with the UN Secretary-General about actions the UN Secretariat must take, some of which have already begun. “From now on, we will face a legal challenge at the Security Council and the United Nations. Russia and China share our position that what has been done is illegal, has no legal foundation, and must not be given recognition,” he said.

 

“A New Phase at the UN and IAEA”

Araghchi concluded: “We are now facing new circumstances in the Security Council, the United Nations, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. In our view, the Security Council lacked the necessary consensus to activate snapback. Russia and China agree there was no consensus. These matters will now be reviewed in the Supreme National Security Council and its nuclear committee, and based on the overall conditions, we will act in accordance with Iran’s national interests. I am confident the SNSC will take well-calculated and correct decisions.”

Araghchi at the UN Security Council session. Social media /WANA News Agency

Araghchi at the UN Security Council session. Social media /WANA News Agency