WANA (May 12) – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran will not accept nuclear negotiations unless the war ends, the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, and what he described as U.S. pressure and “naval blockade” stops. He argued that Washington is seeking Iran’s “complete surrender” rather than genuine negotiations.

 

In an interview with India Today Global, Baghaei stated that the United States had disrupted the negotiation process twice within less than nine months and insisted that Iran was not the party that walked away from the talks. According to him, repeating the same failed approach cannot serve as the basis for future negotiations.

 

The Iranian spokesperson stressed that any talks must first focus on “ending the war,” reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and halting U.S. actions in the region. He said negotiations should be based on mutual compromise, not the imposition of one side’s demands.

 

Baghaei also referred to Washington’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018 as a key reason behind Tehran’s distrust of the United States. He said Iran gradually reduced its commitments after European countries failed to compensate for the U.S. exit from the agreement.

 

He further pointed to indirect talks between Tehran and Washington during the second presidency of Donald Trump, saying Iran had re-entered diplomacy despite deep mistrust, but accused the United States of undermining the process through military action.

 

Speaking about the Strait of Hormuz, Baghaei said the waterway had remained open to all countries before February 28, but Iran later took countermeasures after the United States and Israel allegedly used the territory of some Persian Gulf countries to launch attacks against Iran. He added that, under international law, a naval blockade is itself considered an act of war.

 

The spokesperson also rejected Washington’s claims of “self-defense,” arguing that Iran had not attacked the United States and that Washington had initiated the escalation. He warned that Iran’s armed forces are prepared for “any scenario” and would respond firmly to further escalation.

 

Baghaei further described Israel as the only country in the region that is not a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). He said dismantling Israel’s nuclear program and placing its nuclear activities under international inspection should become a global demand.

 

He also announced that Abbas Araghchi will travel to India to attend the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting, expressing hope that bilateral meetings would also take place on the sidelines of the summit.

 

Concluding the interview, Baghaei warned that any ground attack against Iran would face a severe response, saying: “Anyone who dares to step onto Iranian soil will deeply regret it.”