In an interview with Al Jazeera, Araghchi said the United States and Israel are fully aware that past military confrontations, particularly the 12-day war, were unsuccessful and did not achieve their intended goals.
He said Iran remains fully prepared to defend itself under any circumstances, stressing that both the armed forces and the Iranian people are ready to protect the country. However, he emphasized that preparedness should not be interpreted as a desire for war.
Araghchi said diplomacy has always been Iran’s priority, noting that diplomatic efforts, including talks held in New York, were pursued with that objective. He added that excessive demands by the United States and several European countries, particularly over the snapback mechanism, prevented progress.
The foreign minister said Iran is prepared for all possible scenarios and that security assessments are conducted continuously. At the same time, he warned that repeating a failed military experience should not occur if rational decision-making prevails. He cautioned that Iran’s adversaries place no limits on their actions, pointing to events in Gaza as evidence.
Addressing Iran’s nuclear program, Araghchi said it has no military solution. He stated that while facilities or equipment could be damaged, knowledge and technology cannot be destroyed through bombing. He added that even the assassination of scientists cannot eliminate the will of a nation, noting that years of threats, sanctions, and even military attacks have failed to produce results.
He acknowledged that Iran’s nuclear facilities suffered serious damage during aerial attacks but said this does not equate to the destruction of Iran’s nuclear program. According to Araghchi, Iran’s nuclear technology is indigenous and can be rebuilt, and the will of the Iranian people remains intact.
Commenting on Iran’s strike on a US base in Qatar, Araghchi said Iran did not attack Qatar itself but targeted a US military base. He stressed that Iran maintains friendly relations with neighboring countries and that, in any conflict with the United States, Iran’s response would be directed at US military bases regardless of their location.
He added that Iran expressed solidarity with Qatar at the time and that he personally conveyed this position to the foreign ministers of Persian Gulf Cooperation Council member states, reiterating that Iran’s conflict is with the United States, not with regional neighbors.
Araghchi also pointed to deep mistrust toward Washington, saying the United States has never been a reliable negotiating partner. While this mistrust does not prevent Iran from testing diplomatic paths, he said past experiences have severely reduced confidence in negotiations with the US, adding that, as emphasized by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, talks with Washington represent a dead end.
The Iranian foreign minister criticized moves by three European countries at the UN Security Council to reinstate sanctions, describing the step as a serious blow to diplomacy. He said just as military action failed to resolve the issue, additional sanctions would only complicate the situation further.
Regarding cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Araghchi said cooperation was inevitably suspended after attacks on nuclear facilities, as no framework existed for inspections of bombed sites. He said Iran later reached a new agreement with the IAEA in good faith, which was signed in Cairo, but this step was ignored and rendered ineffective by the activation of the snapback mechanism, forcing Tehran to reconsider the nature of its cooperation with the agency.
In the final part of the interview, Araghchi described remarks by the US president about Iran as interference in the country’s internal affairs, saying Iran’s strength and status are matters solely for the Iranian people to decide. He said national unity displayed during the recent war demonstrated that Iranians determine their own destiny.
Araghchi concluded by saying a peaceful, negotiated solution remains achievable, provided there is mutual respect and recognition of the rights of the Iranian people. He said his recommendation to the US president is a return to diplomacy, adding that it may not yet be too late.
MNA/6692224
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