WANA (Dec 21) – Iran’s foreign minister announced that contacts with Steve Witkoff, the United States’ chief negotiator, have been suspended, but said Tehran remains ready to reach a fair and balanced agreement based on mutual respect and shared interests.

 

In an interview with RT’s Worlds Apart program, Seyed Abbas Araqchi referred to the course of indirect talks between Iran and the United States, saying that the Islamic Republic had held five rounds of negotiations with Washington, and even a sixth round had been scheduled for mid-June. However, Israel’s attack on Iran—carried out in the midst of the talks and without any prior provocation—effectively brought the process to a halt, an attack he said was conducted with U.S. backing.

An Iranian newspaper with a cover photo of an injured woman is seen, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Tehran, Iran, June 22, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

Araqchi stressed that this experience once again showed that Tehran does not equate negotiation with “dictation.” He said Iran is prepared to reach an agreement formed through genuine dialogue and grounded in respect and balance, but will not accept pressure, threats, or the imposition of demands.

 

Referring to Iran’s nuclear program, the foreign minister said Iran reserves its legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear technology, including enrichment, and will not retreat from that right. At the same time, Tehran is ready—just as it was under the 2015 agreement—to provide the necessary assurances regarding the peaceful nature of its program, provided that sanctions are lifted and the other side honors its commitments.

 

He described the attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities as a serious violation of international law and the non-proliferation regime, and criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency and its director general for failing to condemn those attacks.

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Steve Witkoff, the head of the U.S. negotiation team. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Steve Witkoff, the head of the U.S. negotiation team. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Araqchi added that Iran remains a committed member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and will continue its cooperation with the Agency, but called for the establishment of a clear framework for inspections of facilities that have been targeted by military strikes—an issue he said has no precedent in the international system.

 

The foreign minister also said the increased U.S. military presence in the region has fueled tensions and instability, adding that recent experiences have shown military solutions not only fail to achieve their stated objectives, but further undermine regional and global security.

 

In closing, Araqchi emphasized that Iran does not seek war, but is prepared for any scenario. He said the success of diplomacy in 2015 and the failure of military approaches present the United States with two clear paths, and that the final choice rests with Washington.