TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi reaffirmed Iran’s solid stance on rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and emphasized that Tehran will struggle to not accept compromise on the scientific achievements of the industry.
“Our stance on Iran’s rights as NPT members is transparent,” he said. “The acquisition of enrichment techniques is a homemade success built by decades of sacrifice in both blood and resources. There is no scenario for Iranians to deviate from this path.”
A senior Iranian diplomat added that if Washington proves ready for a serious and realistic approach, the path to a permanent agreement remains open.
“If the US is really interested in ensuring that Iran does not own nuclear weapons, the deal is within reach,” Araguchi said. “We are prepared for a constructive conversation to realize a solution that guarantees this outcome permanently. However, Iran’s enrichment continues without any trade.”
Additionally, Araghchi said that while the US has the freedom to coordinate public messaging to domestic audiences and special interest groups, Tehran will continue to be committed to negotiating in a professional and modest way.
“When addressing consultations on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, US interlocutors are free to publicly state what they think are appropriate to drive away special interest groups, a factor that has historically influenced past administration agendas,” Araguchi said, referring to an increasing number of discrepancies between US civil servants and private states.
“Iran can only control what our Iranians are doing,” he continued. “And that’s about avoiding negotiations in public places. Especially consider the dissonance we’re witnessing between the week and the next statement.”
The concern was reflected by Esmael Baghhai, a spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a weekly press conference on Monday. In response to the question, Bughai stated: “The shift on the US side is like a game of snakes and ladders. I feel that with each negotiation session, there is some degree of progress made and at least both sides are beginning to understand each other’s perspectives.
He added: “This repeated uncertainty makes the negotiation process extremely difficult and raises further questions about whether the other side is really serious in these talks. This is a question the US has to answer.”