Araghchi Says Renewed Calls for Talks Underscore Diplomacy as Sole Path Forward

Iran (IMNA) - Speaking at the international conference “International Law Under Assault: Aggression and Defense” in Tehran, Araghchi warned that recent US and Israeli strikes amounted to an assault on diplomacy itself, saying the attacks “hit the very negotiation table between Iran and the United States.” Despite the escalation, he stressed that Iran’s nuclear issue “cannot be resolved militarily.”

Addressing a panel hosted by Kazem Sajjadpour, he said the strikes failed to achieve their intended objectives, including dismantling Iran’s nuclear program. “Facilities may be destroyed, but technology cannot be erased by aerial bombardment, and the will of the Iranian people only strengthens,” he said. According to Araghchi, this reality has prompted fresh requests for negotiations as the attackers’ military approach proved ineffective.

He reiterated that negotiation cannot be imposed through force. “The first step in diplomacy is to accept that negotiation is different from dictation. It requires mutual exchange and consideration of shared interests,” he said, adding that diplomacy must be pursued with “logic, reason, and seriousness.”

Araghchi recalled Iran’s record of good-faith engagement, citing its full compliance with the 2015 JCPOA before the United States’ unilateral withdrawal. He accused Washington of repeatedly undermining diplomatic processes, including through its recent attacks on Iranian territory. “It was never Iran that abandoned diplomacy,” he said, arguing that Western states have consistently sought to impose their will at the negotiating table.

He added that the United States and its allies must understand that issues with the Islamic Republic cannot be resolved except through diplomacy grounded in “respect and dignity.” Reflecting on the 2013–2015 nuclear talks, Araghchi said mutual respect at the time led to successful negotiations. “If they speak to the Iranian people with respect and dignity, they will receive the same in return,” he said, warning that any alternative approach would prompt a similar response from Iran — a lesson he said was demonstrated “during the 12-day war.”