Iran’s foreign minister said on Sunday there is currently no possibility of resuming negotiations with the United States, citing what he described as a lack of constructive behavior from Washington.
“There is at present no possibility of restarting talks with the United States,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting, according to state media.
Araghchi said Tehran was open in principle to discussions that would be “based on equality and serve the interests of both sides,” but added that “the attitude we see from the Americans does not indicate such readiness.”
Relations between Tehran and Washington have remained tense amid continued US sanctions and disputes over Iran’s nuclear program.
Araghchi has previously said that while diplomacy remains Iran’s preferred path, any new negotiations must take place on what he called “a foundation of mutual respect and balance.”
The foreign minister’s remarks came days after International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said Iran retained enough highly enriched uranium and technical expertise to build nuclear weapons despite damage to several enrichment sites during Israeli and US strikes earlier this year.
Grossi said that while the June attacks on Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow had “severely damaged” Iran’s nuclear facilities, the country “still possesses the knowledge and material to manufacture a few nuclear weapons.”
He urged a “return to diplomacy,” warning that continued military escalation would erode chances of oversight and control.
In a separate interview with the Financial Times last week, Grossi said inspectors had been denied access to key sites since the June strikes, despite roughly a dozen inspection requests.
He cautioned that Tehran risked losing credibility under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if it continued restricting access.
“You cannot say, ‘I remain within the NPT,’ and then not comply with obligations,” he said.
Tehran rejected Grossi’s remarks as “politicized and unfounded.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the agency was “fully aware of the peaceful nature” of Iran’s nuclear program and accused it of giving Israel “a pretext for aggression.”