Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi confirmed that his country’s readiness to reach a new nuclear agreement with the United States continues, but stressed that the international circumstances resulting from the recent military clashes imposed decisive restrictions on any bilateral dialogue process. As reported by France 24, Araqchi made stopping Washington’s restrictive impositions and policies a basic requirement for progress, an argument that represents the core of the official Iranian position in the face of the current recession.
As France 24 detailed, nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington remain suspended as a result of the joint attack launched by the United States and Israel against Iranian facilities and targets. This incident meant a break in the diplomatic agenda and the suppression of the possibility of immediate rapprochement regarding the atomic issue. Araqchi explained that as long as the current situation continues and the White House maintains its unilateral approach, Iran is not thinking about returning to the negotiating table. The minister described the American demands as arbitrary, and criticized the lack of will to achieve a balanced consensus, which, according to his analysis, makes any progress impossible.
The head of Iranian diplomacy pointed to the historic Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed in 2015, as a precedent for Tehran’s interest in negotiating its nuclear program. But he pointed out that recent attempts to reactivate the operation collapsed after the military intervention, which led to an Iranian response of launching hundreds of missiles and drones on Israeli territory, according to information provided by France 24. This cycle of actions and reactions has deepened mistrust and paralyzed exchanges.
The Iranian position, reported by France 24, is that any rapprochement requires the basis of reciprocity and the absence of external pressure. Araqchi said: “We are not in a rush. We are waiting for the Americans to be ready for real negotiations, and not just demand exaggerated things,” a statement that summarizes setting the conditions before any understanding. The minister stressed Iran’s readiness to reopen the dialogue if the policy of assumptions is abandoned and a more comprehensive negotiating framework is adopted.
According to what was reported by France 24, the erosion of trust between the two countries intensified after the United States unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear agreement in 2018, during the Donald Trump administration. This event marked a decisive change in the bilateral dynamic and reinforced existing obstacles to the resumption of negotiations. Since then, many Middle Eastern actors have tried to mediate to re-establish dialogue channels, but, as Araqchi admitted, these efforts have not yielded effective results, as France 24 reported.
The conflict also had an impact on Iran’s relationship with international nuclear regulatory organizations, especially with the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency. In response to the recent resolution of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which requires Iran to provide details about its reserves of enriched uranium and allow it unrestricted access to nuclear facilities, Araqchi expressed his categorical rejection. The advisor, quoted by France 24, believes that the action taken by the agency responds to unilateral political interests and ignores the recent attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure linked to the nuclear program.
Araqchi pointed to many problems resulting from the military confrontation, such as the presence of unexploded explosives, chemical risks, and high levels of radioactivity in some nuclear plants, which are aspects that determine the feasibility of international inspections. In an interview with Rafael Grossi, Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Minister requested the establishment of a specific mechanism to supervise the areas affected by the bombing, but, as he explained, this request was not reflected in the final decision, which is information collected by France 24. Currently, Iran allows inspections only in nuclear complexes that have not been affected by military operations, a decision that Araqchi justified on strict security grounds rather than as a refusal to cooperate. The minister noted that universal access will only be enabled if a protocol is created that adapts to the new situation on the ground.
France 24 recalled that after the recent crisis, Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency reached a cooperation agreement in September aimed at restoring some international nuclear verification channels. The goal was to restore some of the lost trust and enable technical progress in supervision mechanisms. However, the G3 – a bloc made up of the United Kingdom, France and Germany – shortly after reimposed a package of sanctions on Tehran. According to France 24 monitoring, this measure revived tensions and hindered the development of inspections and diplomatic negotiations.
Faced with this scenario, Araqchi renewed the official readiness to resume the talks, categorically conditioning this on a change in the American position. The minister stressed that any solution involves negotiation without imposing any conditions and recognizing the interests of both parties. As reported by FRANCE 24, Iran’s willingness to reach agreements remains, although the accumulated mistrust and adverse environment continue to hinder the possibility of reaching stable agreements regarding the country’s nuclear development.