In an interview with Al Jazeera in Tehran, Araqchi underscored Iran’s determination to defend itself without regard to timelines set by its adversaries, emphasizing that the country would continue the war for as long as necessary and warning that its forces remain capable of sustaining prolonged operations.

In response to a question about claims in the United States that negotiations are underway and that Iran has accepted US conditions, he said that negotiations in the terminology of international relations have a specific definition, referring to a situation in which two countries sit together and engage in talks to reach an agreement, which, he stressed, does not currently exist between Iran and the United States. He added that countries sometimes communicate through exchanges of messages, either directly or indirectly, but this is not called negotiation.

He noted, however, that such exchanges of messages do exist between Iran and the US, explaining that Iran receives messages from the US—some directly and some through regional friends—and responds whenever necessary. He emphasized that no negotiations have taken place so far and that claims in this regard are incorrect, adding that while message exchanges sometimes include warnings or points raised by either side, they do not constitute negotiations, although the process continues.

Asked to clarify what he meant by direct message exchange, he said that exchanges are conducted through intermediaries, noting that, as in the past, Steve Witkoff continues to send messages to him directly, but reiterated that this is not negotiation, rather a form of communication that can occur in both peace and wartime and is currently ongoing.

In response to claims in the US that there may be multiple channels or factions in Iran communicating with Washington, Araqchi rejected this outright, saying it is entirely untrue. He explained that all exchanged messages are conducted through official channels of the Foreign Ministry or with its knowledge, and that while security services may also have contacts, all of these occur within a defined framework under the government and the supervision of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, with unified management and no multiplicity of decision-making centers.

Regarding claims that Iran had responded to a 15-point US proposal, Araqchi said that no response has been given to such a plan. He also dismissed reports that Iran had presented five conditions, describing them as media speculation, and reiterated that no response has so far been provided to the US proposal.

On the state of diplomacy, he said that no decision has yet been made by Iran and that there are many considerations. The foreign minister stated that Iran’s conditions for ending the war are completely clear, emphasizing that Iran does not accept a ceasefire and is instead seeking a complete end to the war not only in Iran but across the entire region, along with guarantees to prevent recurrence and compensation for damage inflicted on the Iranian people. He stressed that Iran’s position is entirely clear.

Asked under what conditions negotiations could become possible, Araqchi said that such a step would depend on a decision by Iran’s top leadership if it determines that the interests of the Iranian people would be served, at which point necessary instructions would be given to executive bodies, including the Foreign Ministry. He added that Iran’s goal is to secure the interests and rights of its people, which is currently being pursued through defense against foreign aggression, particularly by the United States and Israel, and that other tools could be used if deemed necessary.

On whether concerns about being attacked during negotiations hinder talks, Araqchi said that the current situation already involves ongoing attacks, and acknowledged that the concern is valid. He said Iran has no positive experience of negotiating with the US, noting that a previous agreement was abandoned by the US without reason and that negotiations last year and this year were followed by attacks. He concluded that there is no trust in achieving results through negotiations and described the level of trust as zero. He added that whenever a negotiation proposal is made, the first issue is assessing the sincerity of the other side, and said Iran sees no sincerity at present, stressing that major steps would be required to rebuild trust.

Regarding guarantees, Araqchi said that assurances from one or two countries are not sufficient and that even the experience of the UN Security Council shows that such guarantees are inadequate. He noted that ideas have been proposed by friendly countries on how to ensure a complete and lasting end to the war and that Iran is examining them to determine what guarantees could be effective if the war were to end under its conditions.

On threats to attack Iran’s infrastructure and energy resources, Araqchi said Iran has been tested repeatedly and does not accept ultimatums, emphasizing that ensuring the security and rights of the Iranian people is the priority and that no one can impose deadlines on Iran. He added that artificial deadlines only complicate matters and noted that such deadlines have already been extended twice. He said the US president must fundamentally change his approach, stressing that the Iranian people cannot be addressed with threats and ultimatums, but must be spoken to with respect, otherwise they will respond on the ground.

Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Araqchi said it lies within the internal waters of Iran and Oman rather than international waters, and therefore the interests of both countries must be considered. He stated that the strait is currently open but closed to vessels of countries at war with Iran, adding that in wartime Iran cannot allow its enemies to use its internal waters. He noted that ships from other countries have refrained from passing through due to insecurity and high insurance costs, while some have engaged in talks with Iran and arrangements have been made for safe passage, especially for friendly countries. He said post-war arrangements would be determined by Iran and Oman, taking into account the interests of their friends in the region and beyond, and described the strait as potentially a “waterway of peace” requiring joint mechanisms between coastal states to ensure security, navigation, and environmental protection.

On threats of attacks on islands or a ground invasion, Araqchi said Iran is prepared and does not believe its adversaries would dare such actions due to the heavy casualties they would incur. He added that Iran did not seek the war and did not start it, but has defended itself strongly, inflicting losses on enemy equipment and facilities, and said Iran is even more experienced and equipped in ground warfare and fully ready to counter any such threat.

Regarding the possible expansion of the war to Bab al-Mandeb and the Red Sea, Araqchi said that matter concerns countries in that region, particularly Yemen, which has its own policies, noting that if such actors decide to take action, it would be their own decision. He stressed that Iran does not request assistance and is capable of defending itself, though regional groups may choose to act independently.

On whether the end of the war would include the entire region, Araqchi said that from Iran’s perspective, ending the war must encompass the whole region, including Iran, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen, emphasizing that Iran seeks peace across the region.

Asked whether such groups are ready to negotiate with the US, Araqchi said there are currently no plans for negotiations and that this would be considered if a decision is made in the future.

On timelines mentioned by the US regarding the war’s duration, Araqchi said Iran sets no deadline for its defense and will continue as long as necessary and in whatever way required to defend the country and its people, adding that Iran does not care about timelines set by its adversaries but advises them to end the war completely and permanently before incurring further losses.

When asked whether Iran is prepared for a six-month war, Araqchi replied that it is prepared for at least six months.

Responding to US claims that regional missile systems have been targeted, Araqchi questioned where the missiles and drones being launched at them are coming from, noting that an AWACS had been destroyed in the past two days by a low-cost Iranian drone. He said such claims are part of a US propaganda campaign and should not be taken seriously, adding that the world is aware of the realities and that Iran’s strikes continue steadily, while the adversaries have failed to stop them or reopen the Strait of Hormuz despite seeking assistance from other countries. He added that they are now appealing for negotiations, and stressed that the reality on the ground shows Iran’s defensive capabilities remain intact and its strikes continue strongly.

On potential negotiations, Araqchi said Iran currently has no plan, but would define priorities if that stage is reached.

Addressing concerns in regional countries about Iranian attacks, Araqchi said Iran does not target friendly countries but rather US forces and facilities located within them, which are used to launch attacks against Iran. He acknowledged that collateral damage may occur but insisted the intended targets are US objectives. He said there is ample evidence that the US uses the territory and airspace of these countries, including acknowledged use of HIMARS missiles and refueling operations from regional bases.

Araqchi added that Iran targets only US-related locations, including sites providing services to US forces or where they are stationed, and said US media have acknowledged that American forces stay in hotels, effectively using civilians in the Persian Gulf region as human shields.

He stated that the war was initiated by the US and Israel using their regional bases and questioned why regional countries have not condemned US aggression, instead criticizing Iran for defending itself. Araqchi emphasized Iran’s respect for regional countries and their leadership, contrasting it with disrespectful behavior by US officials, and reiterated Iran’s desire for respectful and friendly relations.

Regarding the future of Iran’s relations with the region, Araqchi acknowledged that rebuilding trust will be difficult but expressed confidence that, given Iran’s goodwill, the conduct of Arab countries, and shared objectives, trust can be restored. He emphasized that regional security, particularly in the Persian Gulf, should be ensured by regional countries themselves, arguing that US bases undermine security. He said regional countries should question why US bases have failed to provide them with security and stressed the need for a collective approach to security, as well as shared prosperity and progress. He concluded that achieving lasting security requires reducing reliance on foreign forces and relying instead on regional cooperation.