Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated that Tehran holds the legal right to pursue a peaceful nuclear program.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has declared that Iran will not abandon its uranium enrichment capacity, even when faced with the threat of war. US President Donald Trump has demanded that Iran adopt a “zero enrichment” policy.
Araghchi made these comments at the National Congress on the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy in Tehran on Sunday, referring to enrichment as a legal right based on sovereignty and national dignity.
“Why have we been so insistent on enrichment and continue to be, and why are we reluctant to give it up, even if war is forced upon us? Because no one has the authority to tell us what we should or should not possess,” he said.
However, Araghchi added that Iran is willing to address concerns regarding its nuclear program and build trust on this issue. “If there are any questions or uncertainties about the peaceful goals of Iran’s nuclear program, we will respond and clear up the uncertainties, and the only way to do so is through diplomacy.”
He further mentioned that the US and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities last year did not achieve the desired outcomes.
“Knowledge cannot be eliminated by bombing. Bombing can destroy buildings, but technology cannot be destroyed,” Araghchi said, adding that this was the message he conveyed to the US during recent indirect talks in Oman.
Araghchi previously described the negotiations as a “good start,” emphasizing that they were “solely about the nuclear issue,” although US officials said they also intended to discuss Iran’s ballistic missiles and its support for regional allies.
The Trump administration has long maintained that Iran must accept a “zero enrichment” policy and has, on several occasions, hinted that Washington might resort to military action if diplomacy fails.
Araghchi’s statements come at a time of escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington, with the US recently deploying additional naval and air resources to the region. Trump has also promised support for violent protests in Iran sparked by economic hardships; Tehran has stated that it will not yield to pressure.