Iran’s foreign minister has ruled out an immediate return to negotiations with the United States, following recent American airstrikes on key nuclear facilities during the 12-day war with Israel, CBS News reported on Monday (June 30).
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking in his first interview with an American media outlet since the June strikes, said Iran would not rush back to the negotiating table.
“I don’t think negotiations will restart as quickly as that,” he told CBS News, responding to President Donald Trump’s claim that talks could resume within a week.
“We will have to first ensure that America will not revert to targeting us in a military attack during the negotiations,” Araghchi added. However, he noted, “The doors of diplomacy will never slam shut.”
Asked whether Iran would halt uranium enrichment, Araghchi rejected the idea, saying it had become part of the country’s identity. “Our peaceful nuclear program has turned into a matter of national pride and glory,” he said. “We have also gone through 12 days of imposed war; therefore, people will not easily back down from enrichment,” he added.
The United States had targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan in its June air campaign. While US officials claimed the sites had been “completely and totally obliterated,” Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told CBS News that Iran retained the capacity to resume enrichment “within months”.
Araghchi insisted that bombings could not destroy Iran’s nuclear know-how. “One cannot obliterate the technology and science for enrichment through bombings,” he said. “If there is this will on our part – and the will exists – we will be able to expeditiously repair the damages and make up for the lost time,” he added.
President Trump has warned of additional military action if Iran resumes enrichment activities. But Araghchi said Iran was ready for further conflict.
“We showed and proved during this 12-day imposed war that we can defend ourselves,” he said. “And we will continue to do so should any aggression be launched against us,” he added.
comments
