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World
Iran's Foreign Minister says mistrust is the main obstacle to talks with the US, citing past broken agreements and attacks.
Mistrust is the single greatest barrier to any diplomatic effort with the United States, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared during a press conference in New Delhi. He stated that Tehran will not enter negotiations unless Washington demonstrates genuine seriousness, noting that Iran was subjected to an American-Israeli attack while it was actively engaged in diplomacy.
“We are in a ceasefire, albeit a fragile one, but we are trying to give diplomacy another chance. There is no military solution to the Iran issue, and we will resist any aggression,” Araghchi said. “We will start negotiations when the other side is serious and on the right track. We do not trust America at all.” He added that contradictory messages from Washington change daily, and sometimes two different messages arrive in a single day, deepening the sense of distrust.
Araghchi noted that this is the second time Iran has begun negotiations with the United States, only to be attacked in the midst of the diplomatic process. He expressed appreciation for countries that condemned the attack, particularly India, which showed solidarity and provided humanitarian aid, calling that support “very valuable.”
Reviewing the history of relations with Washington, Araghchi pointed to the 2015 nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), which took over two years to negotiate and was hailed globally as a diplomatic achievement. “Just one year after its implementation, the new US administration in President Trump’s first term withdrew from the deal without any justification or reason, while Iran was fully committed to all its obligations,” he said.
“We entered negotiations again, and after several rounds of dialogue, they decided to attack us, and a war broke out that lasted twelve days,” he continued. “This year, they made another offer for negotiations, and we held three rounds of talks: the first in Muscat, then two rounds in Geneva. The last round was on February 26.” Araghchi explained that Oman’s Foreign Minister, Badr al-Busaidi, announced that significant progress had been made, and the US delegation confirmed this, expressing hope for a final agreement soon. “But just two days later, on February 28, they, along with Israel, launched an aggression against our people.”
“The most important issue now is the question of trust. We cannot under any circumstances trust the Americans. For this reason, everything must be precisely, clearly, and transparently defined for an agreement to be possible,” he concluded.
Iran’s top diplomat stressed that “there is no military solution for Iran. They have tested us many times, but we have never surrendered to pressure or threats, and we have resisted any aggression and pressure.” He added that the Iranian people only respond to the language of respect, and what cannot be achieved militarily cannot be achieved at the negotiating table unless a mutually satisfactory solution is reached.
Araghchi warned that there are war provocateurs trying to drag America into a new conflict, expressing hope that “reason and diplomacy will ultimately prevail, and that through dialogue we can reach a negotiated solution, because there is no other solution besides negotiation.”
In response to a question about statements by Trump and Xi Jinping regarding Iran not possessing nuclear weapons and the necessity of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, Araghchi affirmed that “Iran shares the same view.” He stated, “Iran has never sought nuclear weapons, and it proved that by signing the 2015 agreement. Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful, and Iran has always been ready to build trust to prove its peaceful nature.”
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Araghchi clarified that Iran’s demand is for the waterway to remain fully open, except for ships belonging to countries that are at war with Iran, which must coordinate with Iranian military forces for passage to avoid mines and obstacles. He added that Iran is ready to assist all ships seeking safe passage, noting it has already helped a number of Indian vessels. He confirmed that ensuring safe passage is Iran’s policy and interest, and that Tehran will coordinate with Oman—as the two coastal states on either side of the strait—to establish an appropriate mechanism for managing the waterway and guaranteeing safe transit for all ships after the aggression ends.
