Tehran – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi has firmly rejected the US attempt to impose negotiations under the “major pressure” campaign, describing the US demands as a forced dictatt that is incompatible with sovereign diplomacy.
In a statement on Monday regarding X, Araghchi declared: “We will not negotiate under pressure and threats. We emphasized that dialogue should be rooted in mutual respect rather than threats.
The statements that tensions escalate as the US escalates hostile rhetoric include President Donald Trump in a recent Fox News interview that Iran can only “handle” through military action or unilateral nuclear deals.
Araguchi dismissed stances such as “bullying” and emphasized that Iran’s nuclear program (the foundation of its scientific sovereignty) remains irreparably peaceful.
“Fundamentally, there’s no such thing as its “potential militarization,”” he said, reflecting the country’s decades of commitment to non-proliferation under the protection of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Earlier on Saturday, Ayatollah, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, strengthened Tehran in a speech by Ali Khamenei to senior state officials, arguing that the Western powers’ claims for consultations were aimed at extracting concessions rather than resolving conflicts.
“The expectations of bullying countries will never be accepted,” he said.
This follows a February warning from leaders against a “unwise, incongruous, disgraceful” engagement with Washington, a principle currently enshrined in Iran’s foreign policy.
Diplomacy on equal scaffolding
Contrary to our one-sidedness, Aragut emphasized continued consultations with the European troika (France, Germany, UK), Russia and China, and implemented “equal scaffolding and mutual respect.”
He explained that these talks seek to address concerns about Iran’s nuclear activities through transparency measures in exchange for lifting “illegal sanctions.”
However, he warned that the dialogue would not serve as an excuse to undermine Iran’s rights. “If the goal is to dismantle our peaceful program, such negotiations will never happen,” Iran’s UN mission warns on Sunday, hinting that we will try to revive the pressures of the Obama era.
“Negotiations are not submission,” Araguchi declared that he frags diplomacy as an equal partnership.
The history of a broken promise
The collapse of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Action Plan (JCPOA) is deeply in the calculus of Tehran.
After Trump abandoned the multilateral agreement in 2018, European signatories failed to counter US sanctions, urging Iran to gradually reduce some of its commitments.
Tehran notes that these procedures were announced in advance, clear and reflect measured resistance to economic warfare.
Meanwhile, Trump’s recent claims about pursuing “trade” reflect his 2018-2020 approach. This included a failed attempt in 2019, including a letter delivered by then-Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo ABE, who Ayatollolah Khamenei rejected the reply, saying he didn’t bother him.
Escalating sanctions, escalating resolution
The latest threat from the Trump administration has proven ineffective against Tehran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent recently vowed to “close Iran’s oil sector and drone manufacturing and cut off access to global finance.”
Moreover, Trump’s recent unstable letter to Islamic Revolution leader Ayatollah Khamenei threatens military action if negotiations fail, and supports people like national security adviser Mike Waltz (“all choices on the table”) and Job in the war prison convicted by the Israeli Regime.
Such measures exemplify the US’s preference for coercion over cooperation.