Newsletters
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Tehran has rejected any possibility of talks with the United States amid ongoing Israeli strikes, just hours before a scheduled meeting with European counterparts in Geneva.
“We are not ready to engage in negotiations with any side while the Israeli aggression continues,” Araghchi told state television.
He added that while Washington has sent messages seeking direct dialogue, Iran has declined. “We told the Americans clearly: as long as the attacks persist, there can be no negotiations. We are exercising our legitimate right to self-defense.”
Araghchi accused the U.S. of complicity in the Israeli offensive and ruled out any contact “under current conditions.”
However, he confirmed that Iran is willing to continue talks with the U.K., France, Germany, and the European Union. The discussions in Geneva, he said, will focus on Iran’s nuclear program and broader regional matters.
“There will be no negotiations regarding our missile capabilities,” he added. “These systems are purely defensive.”
Denying claims that Iranian strikes have targeted civilians, Araghchi said, “We aim only at military and economic sites in Israel, not civilian buildings or hospitals.”
The Geneva meeting brings together top diplomats from the U.K., France, Germany, the EU, and Iran, amid heightened regional tensions following a series of Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory since June 13.
1 min read
5 min read
