WANA (Dec 19) – In a statement on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons and acknowledged his country’s unsuccessful attempts to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs.

 

During a discussion with the Council on Foreign Relations, Blinken claimed that recent regional developments might have made Iran more inclined to consider building nuclear weapons.

 

He stated that while Iran is aware of the consequences of such attempts, there remains a possibility for negotiations between Washington and Tehran, contingent on Iran’s willingness to engage.

 

“I think there is a prospect for negotiations,” Blinken remarked. “But, of course, it depends on the choices Iran makes and whether it decides to participate in this process.”

 

Blinken referenced the Trump administration’s goal of securing what was described as a “stronger, better deal” with Iran. He reiterated that no U.S. government would permit Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. He also indicated that any decision regarding potential engagement with Iran would be determined by the next U.S. administration.

 

Furthermore, Blinken admitted that the U.S. had repeatedly attempted to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs over the past two decades but acknowledged that such efforts had not been successful. “If we look back over the last 20 years, our experiences with regime change haven’t been particularly successful,” he said.

 

These accusations come despite Iran’s consistent assertions that its nuclear program is peaceful. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has also affirmed in multiple reports that Iran’s nuclear activities remain within peaceful parameters.