Iranian Foreign Minister refutes Trump on start of talks

In a program he attended on state television, Araghchi made statements regarding the attacks by Israel and the US on his country, saying, "A nuclear-armed superpower and a nuclear-armed regime, with the help of Europeans, mobilized and planned to dismantle the Iranian people and end their 50-year struggle against American hegemony, but they did not succeed." 

Pointing to the nuclear negotiation process held with the US before the attacks, Araghchi said, "In the last negotiations, they tried to persuade us to give up the rights of the Iranian nation. When we did not accept, they imposed war and gave the criminal Zionist regime (Israel) permission to carry out attacks." 

Araghchi continued as follows:

"The Americans betrayed diplomacy while the negotiations were ongoing, and this experience will affect our decision regarding future talks with them; however, diplomacy continues, and I am in contact with the Foreign Ministers of some countries."

When asked about the statement made yesterday by US President Donald Trump, "We will meet with the Iranians next week," Araghchi said, "Do not take these statements seriously. No agreement has been made yet for negotiations with the US. There hasn't even been a conversation about this. Contradictory statements are constantly coming from them."

When asked about the law passed by the Iranian Parliament and approved by the final decision-making body, the Guardian Council, which halts cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Araghchi said, "The new law is binding for us. (IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano) Grossi's report paved the way for a resolution that was a harbinger of Israel's aggression. The report was not accurate or fair. Furthermore, attacks were carried out on our nuclear facilities, and the IAEA could not even condemn this."

Regarding the ceasefire process that came 12 days after the mutual attacks between Iran and Israel, Araghchi noted the following:

"There were rumors that Iran and the Zionist regime (Israel) were negotiating, or that both sides were negotiating with the US, or that the US was mediating. None of these were true. The Zionist regime reached the point of stopping the attacks out of desperation, and we did not continue when the attacks stopped. There were no preconditions, and we made no demands. It was the Zionist regime that requested the cessation of the operation. Iran, based on its pre-determined policies, announced that if the attacks did not continue, we had no intention of continuing either. As a result, the operation was stopped."

News Source: AA