Tehran Rules Out Direct Talks with Washington, Open to Indirect Deal: Araghchi

Tehran, Nov 2025 : Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has declared that Tehran will not hold direct negotiations with the United States, though it remains open to reaching an agreement through indirect diplomatic channels.

In an interview with Al Jazeera released on Saturday, Araghchi said Iran is willing to address concerns related to its nuclear program but firmly ruled out any face-to-face dialogue with Washington. “We have no desire to hold direct negotiations with the United States, but an agreement can be achieved through indirect talks,” he said.

Reiterating Iran’s long-standing claim that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful, Araghchi emphasized that uranium enrichment will continue despite international pressure. He argued that neither military confrontation nor diplomatic coercion would force Iran to abandon its nuclear progress. “What could not be achieved by war cannot be achieved through politics,” he stated.

Araghchi also disclosed that Iran’s stockpile of 400 kg of 60% enriched uranium remains buried under the rubble of bombed nuclear sites and has not been moved. He said that although Iran suffered “heavy structural and equipment losses,” its scientific capability and nuclear expertise remain unaffected. His remarks referred to the June 22 U.S. bombing of nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.

Before those attacks, Iran and the United States had completed five rounds of indirect negotiations aimed at easing U.S. sanctions and resolving disputes surrounding Tehran’s nuclear activities. However, the fragile diplomatic progress collapsed following large-scale Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory, later joined by U.S. forces.

Araghchi noted that Washington has repeatedly called for Iran to halt uranium enrichment and scale back its missile program in recent months—demands Iran has outright rejected. He reiterated that both issues are “non-negotiable,” asserting that Iran’s nuclear and defense capabilities are matters of national sovereignty.

With tensions continuing to escalate, Araghchi’s remarks underline Iran’s hardened stance: while diplomacy remains possible, it will not come through direct engagement with Washington.