Iran’s foreign minister: US can revive diplomacy if they really want to

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in an op-ed for the Financial Times, noting that Israel’s war against Iran was a “profound betrayal of diplomacy,” while the United States could revive it if it really wanted to.

“In just five meetings over nine weeks, U.S. special envoy Steve Whitkoff and I accomplished more than I did in four years of nuclear negotiations with the failed Biden administration. We were on the verge of a historic breakthrough. To allay U.S. fears that Iran might one day curtail its peaceful nuclear program, we had detailed and frank discussions, including on the future of Iranian uranium enrichment,” Araghchi noted.

He emphasized that there were several ideas for a mutually beneficial solution put forward by both sides and Oman.

“Equally important, we also focused on lifting sanctions and engaging the US in broader economic cooperation, which represented a trillion-dollar opportunity. Iran was open to mutually beneficial cooperation that would electrify the Iranian economy and address U.S. President Donald Trump’s priority of revitalizing dying American industries such as nuclear power. Things were improving, and we exchanged many messages. But just 48 hours before the key sixth meeting, Israel launched an unprovoked attack on my country,” the Iranian foreign minister wrote.

He emphasized that Tehran remains interested in diplomacy but has good reason to doubt further dialogue.

“If there is a desire to resolve this issue peacefully, the U.S. must demonstrate a genuine willingness to reach an equitable agreement. Washington should also know that its actions in recent weeks have made a difference. Iranians will never agree to surrender. Iran is a civilization many thousands of years old that has survived countless invasions, growing stronger each time,” Abbas Araghchi noted, among others.