Iran has declared it will never abandon its right to enrich uranium, even if war “is imposed on us”, as its foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, openly challenged pressure from the United States on Sunday.
Speaking at a forum in Tehran, Araghchi said Iran had endured significant costs for pursuing what it insists is a peaceful nuclear programme. “Iran has paid a very heavy price for its peaceful nuclear programme and for uranium enrichment,” he said.
He questioned international demands that Tehran relinquish enrichment, stating, “Why do we insist so much on enrichment and refuse to give it up even if a war is imposed on us? Because no one has the right to dictate our behaviour.” His comments came just two days after he met US envoy Steve Witkoff in Oman.
Despite the tough rhetoric, Araghchi said he hoped negotiations with Washington would resume soon, while clearly restating Iran’s red lines and cautioning against any US military strike.
According to excerpts shared on his official Telegram channel from an interview with Al Jazeera, Araghchi stressed that Iran’s missile programme was “never negotiable” during the talks held in Oman on Friday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to raise concerns about Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities when he meets US President Donald Trump in Washington next week.
Araghchi, however, warned that any American attack on Iranian territory would trigger retaliation, with Tehran prepared to strike US military bases across the region.
These warnings coincided with a visit by lead Iran negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, underscoring the continuing possibility of US military action.
The US military’s Central Command confirmed the visit in a social media post, describing the nuclear-powered vessel as part of ongoing regional operations.
Witkoff, in a separate post, said the aircraft carrier and its strike group were “keeping us safe and upholding President Trump’s message of peace through strength”.
Araghchi said on Saturday that although the Muscat discussions were indirect, “an opportunity arose to shake hands with the American delegation”.
He described the engagement as “a good start”, while cautioning that “there is a long way to go to build trust”. He added that further talks would take place “soon”.
Trump, for his part, also described the discussions as “very good” on Friday and promised another round of negotiations next week.
At the same time, he signed an executive order that took effect on Saturday, calling for the “imposition of tariffs” on countries that continue commercial dealings with Iran.
Washington also announced fresh sanctions targeting several shipping firms and vessels in an effort to restrict Iran’s oil exports.
China remains Iran’s largest trading partner, accounting for more than a quarter of its trade, with $18 billion in imports and $14.5 billion in exports recorded in 2024, according to World Trade Organization figures.
Araghchi reiterated to Al Jazeera that uranium enrichment is Iran’s “inalienable right and must continue”.
He added, “We are ready to reach a reassuring agreement on enrichment,” while insisting that “the Iranian nuclear case will only be resolved through negotiations”.
On Iran’s missile capabilities, he again made clear they were “never negotiable”, describing them as a core “defence issue”.
The United States has pushed for talks to also address Iran’s ballistic missile programme and its support for armed groups in the region, issues Israel wants firmly included in any agreement, according to reports.
Tehran has consistently rejected widening the scope of negotiations beyond nuclear matters.
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump on Wednesday to review the Iran talks, his office said on Saturday.
According to the statement, the Israeli leader “believes any negotiations must include limitations on ballistic missiles and a halting of the support for the Iranian axis”, referring to Tehran’s regional allies.
Araghchi on Saturday criticised what he described as a “doctrine of domination”, accusing Israel of expanding its military power while pressuring neighbouring states to disarm.
Friday’s meeting marked the first engagement since US-Iran nuclear negotiations collapsed last year, following Israel’s unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran that sparked a 12-day war.
During that conflict, US warplanes carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Araghchi told Al Jazeera that if Iran were attacked again, “we will attack their bases in the region”, referring to US forces.
The renewed diplomacy comes amid a significant US military buildup in the region and ongoing fallout from Iran’s crackdown on protests that erupted in late December over economic grievances.
Iranian authorities have acknowledged that 3,117 people died during the unrest, releasing on Sunday a list of 2,986 names, which they say largely comprise security personnel and civilians.
International rights groups dispute those figures.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency says it has verified 6,961 deaths, mostly protesters, with another 11,630 cases still under review, and has documented more than 51,000 arrests.
What you should know
Iran’s stance signals a hardening of positions ahead of renewed nuclear talks with the United States.
By insisting that uranium enrichment is an “inalienable right” and ruling out negotiations on its missile programme, Tehran is narrowing the scope for compromise. At the same time, Washington continues to combine diplomacy with sanctions and military pressure in the region.
With Israel pushing for tougher terms and both sides issuing warnings, the prospects for de-escalation hinge on whether negotiations can rebuild trust after last year’s war and prevent another confrontation.
