Araghchi: Grossi’s Deputy Will Not Come for Inspections
WANA (Aug 06) – Iran’s Foreign Minister said: “At the request of the IAEA, we invited the Deputy Director General to visit Tehran. He is not coming for inspections, reviews, or assessments — we have not granted such permission. Our discussions will focus on the framework under which Iran and the Agency should cooperate.”
Seyed Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, appeared on a live program on Iranian state television, where he reviewed the Foreign Ministry’s performance over the past year and addressed the latest developments in Iran’s foreign policy.
Regarding the law passed by Iran’s Parliament on suspending cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the planned visit of the Deputy Director General to Tehran, Araghchi said: “Parliament passed a very important law, delegating cooperation with the Agency to the decisions of the Supreme National Security Council. From now on, all cooperation with the IAEA will proceed through, and with the approval of, the Supreme National Security Council.”
IAEA Inspectors Leave Iran Amid Rising Tensions
WANA (Jul 04) – The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced on Friday that its team of inspectors has left Iran and returned to Vienna. The inspectors, who had been stationed in Tehran during recent military tensions, departed the country and are now back at the agency’s headquarters. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, […]
The Foreign Minister added: “The Agency does not have a good track record with us. Before the war, it paved the way for a resolution in the Board of Governors. When our facilities were subject to illegal military aggression, the Agency and its Director General did not even condemn the attacks. The assault on Iran’s nuclear facilities was the gravest violation of international law.”
He continued: “The Agency and its Director General must recognize that a new situation has emerged. We now have both a law passed by Parliament and new realities on the ground. Our facilities have been damaged, and naturally, for these two reasons, we must begin a new chapter with the Agency and set out a fresh framework for cooperation — a framework that takes into account the parliamentary law.”
Araghchi stated: “At the Agency’s request, we invited the Deputy Director General to Tehran. He is not coming for inspections, reviews, or evaluations, as we have not allowed that. Our talks will determine the rules governing cooperation between Iran and the Agency. We are working on the details of the visit. It is not finalized, but its general contours are clear.”
Referring to long-term agreements with Russia and China, the senior Iranian diplomat said: “These two countries are permanent members of the Security Council with whom we have deep, longstanding relations, and our areas of cooperation are extensive. Their stance in expressing solidarity with Iran and condemning recent aggressions has been very strong. Cooperation continues in political, economic, and defense fields.”
Tripartite Meeting of the Deputy Foreign Ministers of Iran, China, and Russia – March 14, 2025 / WANA News Agency
President to Visit China
Araghchi also announced during the interview that the President of Iran will travel to China in September to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit.
Messages Received from the Other Side
In response to a question on whether a new round of talks with the United States is planned, the Foreign Minister said: “There is no finalized arrangement. Conversations have taken place and messages have been conveyed by the other side, but whether negotiations will occur in the near or distant future depends on what serves our national interests.”
The Latest Status of Iran–U.S. Nuclear Negotiations
WANA (Aug 03) – While the United States speaks the language of threats in the media, behind closed doors it is pressing hard for a resumption of talks with Iran. Tehran, however, has entered the arena this time with new conditions and tougher positions — conditions shaped by the recent war and Washington’s direct attack […]
He continued: “Negotiation is part of our field of contest with the rest of the world — in this case, specifically with the United States.”
He added: “To safeguard the country’s interests, we fight where necessary, and we negotiate where necessary. We will not forgo any of the tools available to us in securing our national interests.”
Foreign Ministry Ready for Close Coordination with Supreme National Security Council
Addressing a question about the appointment of Ali Larijani as the new Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and whether this might limit the Foreign Ministry’s authority, Araghchi said: “Why should it limit us? On the contrary, it will certainly be of help.”
Ali Larijani Back in Iran’s Supreme National Security Council
WANA (Aug 06) – The return of Ali Larijani to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) has once again placed his name at the forefront of the country’s strategic developments. It is the very body where, two decades ago in the 2000s, Larijani — as the Supreme Leader’s representative and its secretary — played a […]
Congratulating Dr. Ali Larijani on his appointment, he said: “Mr. Larijani is one of the pillars of Iranian politics, a symbol of moderation and rationality, with long experience in both domestic and foreign policy. I have worked with him for many years, maintained contact with him, and recently participated in sessions in his presence. He has a precise grasp of foreign policy matters and a profound, genuine insight. We are confident that under his tenure we will move forward more effectively and smoothly. Of course, we had similar cooperation with Mr. Ahmadi as well. A change has now occurred, and change is not necessarily a bad thing — it can even lead to better progress.”
Araghchi concluded: “I assure him that the Foreign Ministry stands ready to advance the nation’s interests and priorities in close coordination with the Supreme National Security Council.”
In response to a question on whether the election of Mr. Larijani might shift the venue of nuclear negotiations away from the Foreign Ministry, Iran’s Foreign Minister stated: “The manner of negotiation and the scope of authority in which these talks are conducted are matters reviewed and decided at a high level. We follow the decisions taken.”
The senior advisor to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Larijani, and Ali-Akbar Ahmadian, the current Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. Social media/ WANA News Agency
He continued: “I believe that in the new period, this process will continue in the same form and manner as before. My understanding is that we will proceed as in the past: policy-making on the negotiations will be carried out within the Supreme National Security Council, while the Foreign Ministry will remain the executive body. We remain committed to any decision taken in this regard.”
Leader’s Guiding Role: The ‘Staff of Moses’
The Foreign Minister went on: “We must never overlook or fail to acknowledge the role of the wise and courageous leadership of the Supreme Leader, both in past years and in this particular period. Whether during our engagement in diplomacy and negotiations, or at times when we had to adopt a defensive stance, his prudent and bold leadership — with what I called his ‘Staff of Moses’ — opened the paths and prevented the enemy from achieving its objectives of destroying our defense capability, undermining our command and control, and weakening our national cohesion.”
Araghchi added: “In a very short time, he revived and rebuilt all of these. The metaphor of the ‘Staff of Moses’ that I used was truly visible in those twelve days, when his leadership cleared the way, just as the staff of Moses split the sea. He was a pathfinder in all matters, and thus this epic was created.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Seyed Ali Khamenei. Social media/ WANA News Agency
On Relations with Egypt and Jordan
Asked about relations with Egypt and Jordan, the Foreign Minister said: “Ties with Egypt have made remarkable progress over the past year. I have met with the Egyptian President four times and with the Foreign Minister more than ten times. Telephone conversations have exceeded expectations. Egypt is a major country in the Islamic world, and we have discussed issues concerning Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran’s nuclear program. We have made good progress in bilateral relations. Some obstacles, such as the renaming of a street, have been addressed, and necessary arrangements have been implemented on both sides.”
He added: “There is a mutual will for cooperation. We are in no hurry to formally restore relations; when the time comes, it will happen. I believe in the coming months we will reach that point, and likely would have already done so if not for the war. The important thing is that our interactions resemble those of two normal states, which is now the case. The contacts between myself and Egypt’s Foreign Minister are so regular that we no longer report many of them in the news. We speak two to three times a week.”
On Jordan, he said: “We maintain relations at the chargé d’affaires level and continue our consultations. I have traveled to Jordan and remain in regular contact with their Foreign Minister.”
Araghchi continued: “In the past year, Iran’s foreign policy has faced an unprecedented level of developments and tensions. A remarkable aspect of this period has been the growth of ties with our neighbors. Previous governments had also tried, but over the past year we focused heavily on this. The support extended to Iran following the recent aggression was unprecedented.”
Egypt Mediates Between Iran and IAEA on Nuclear Talks
WANA (Aug 06) – The Egyptian Foreign Minister held separate conversations with the Iranian Foreign Minister and the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency. On August 6, 2025, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate phone calls with Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, and Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic […]
On Hezbollah and Regional Pressures
Responding to a question about increased pressure on Hezbollah to disarm, the Foreign Minister said: “This is not the first attempt to disarm Hezbollah or to neutralize its capabilities. The enemies have seen what the weapons of the resistance can achieve on the ground. They believed that the blows Hezbollah suffered in the war would allow them to advance the disarmament agenda. But the position taken by Hezbollah’s leader and the statement issued in this regard demonstrated Hezbollah’s resolve and strong stance. Fortunately, the Amal Movement under Nabih Berri has also provided strong support. The Shia community in Lebanon remains at its peak strength and influence. To our knowledge, the losses Hezbollah sustained in the war have been repaired, commanders have been replaced, and Hezbollah retains sufficient strength.”
Araghchi stressed: “We support any decision Hezbollah makes, and we do not interfere in this matter.”
A billboard with a picture of late Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is displayed during a mourning ceremony for late Hezbollah leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine, who were killed in Israeli airstrikes last year, in Tehran, Iran, February 23, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
On the Snapback Mechanism
The Iranian Foreign Minister, responding to a question on the issue of the snapback mechanism, explained: “In my view, the snapback has been exaggerated in society beyond what it really is.”
Araghchi stated: “So far, it is the Islamic Republic of Iran that has actually used the snapback. For years now, we have suspended all our JCPOA commitments. After the United States withdrew from the JCPOA and reinstated its sanctions, and when Europe failed to deliver on the economic benefits of sanctions relief, we carried out our own snapback in line with Article 36 of the JCPOA. We halted all our obligations, reverted to the pre-JCPOA situation, and in fact relaunched our nuclear program from that point. Today, our nuclear program is far more advanced than it was before the JCPOA.”
The Foreign Minister stressed: “Iran has already implemented the snapback. The United States, having withdrawn from the JCPOA, no longer has the right to do so. The Europeans, meanwhile, have not yet invoked it. Should they decide to, it would mean the return of U.S., European, and UN Security Council sanctions altogether—though U.S. sanctions have already come back. Moreover, this mechanism was designed in a way that countries like China and Russia could not block it with a veto. Similarly, we had designed our return to the nuclear program within the JCPOA framework so that we could restore the pre-deal situation without obstruction, and we have done exactly that.”
Araghchi added: “Another important point is that Security Council Resolution 2231, which grants the authority to invoke the snapback to the signatories of the agreement, will expire on October 18 this year. This was one of the most significant achievements of the JCPOA and Resolution 2231: that after ten years, the resolution automatically expires, and Iran’s case will be completely removed from the Security Council’s agenda.”
Regarding the recent threats by the three European countries to trigger the snapback mechanism, the Iranian Foreign Minister said: “These three countries have violated their JCPOA commitments. Especially in recent weeks, they have adopted a stance similar to that of the United States, speaking of ‘zero enrichment’—while the JCPOA itself recognizes enrichment and Iran’s right to it. From our perspective, these three European countries are no longer considered parties to the JCPOA and therefore have no right to invoke the snapback mechanism. Recently, they raised the idea of a six-month extension, but our position is clear: you simply have no right to use it.”
The senior Iranian diplomat continued: “If the snapback is triggered, in my view it will not result in any new major economic sanctions. Technically, something may be added, but it will be very minor and will not make a difference to Iran’s current economic situation. However, it will have political implications: we would again fall under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the previous resolutions would return, and undoubtedly, that would bring losses and damage.”
In conclusion, Araghchi noted: “Our position on the snapback issue is clear. If the Europeans invoke it, we will respond, and they must understand that by doing so, they will permanently forfeit their role in the negotiations. They should stop making threats and recognize that a European snapback will solve nothing—just as a military attack on Iran solved nothing. On the contrary, it would only add to the existing problems.”
