Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi on Friday, Araqchi said this was the second time Iran had started negotiations with the US, only for Washington to launch attacks in the middle of talks and at the height of diplomacy, which he described as deeply regrettable.
He said Iran is currently in a ceasefire situation, although the truce remains very fragile, and noted that Tehran is trying to preserve it in order to create an opportunity for diplomacy and a negotiated solution.
The foreign minister emphasized that there is no military solution regarding Iran, stressing that the country has never surrendered to pressure or threats and has resisted aggression, pressure, and sanctions.
Araqchi said that after 40 days of war, when the US became disappointed in achieving its objectives through aggression against Iran, Washington once again proposed negotiations.
He added that Iran is interested in negotiations, but only if the other side is serious and genuinely seeks real talks.
Araqchi said the main issue at present is trust, emphasizing that Iran cannot trust the Americans and that everything must therefore be defined precisely, clearly, and transparently for an agreement to be possible.
The negotiations are suffering from a lack of trust as well as contradictory messages from the US, he said.
According to Araqchi, Washington issues new and at times conflicting messages every day, which increases distrust and raises doubts about American intentions.
He reiterated that Iran has never sought nuclear weapons and said Tehran proved this by signing the 2015 nuclear agreement.
Araqchi stressed that Iran’s nuclear program has always been peaceful and that the country has consistently been ready to build confidence regarding its peaceful nature.
Referring to Iran’s enriched nuclear materials, he described the matter as highly complicated and said Iran and the US had concluded that, because they had nearly reached a deadlock on this particular issue, it would be better to postpone discussions on it to later stages of negotiations.
He said the issue is therefore not currently on the agenda for talks, but would be addressed in future phases, when Iran would naturally hold further consultations with Russia to determine whether Moscow’s proposal could help resolve the matter.
Araqchi also welcomed assistance from any country that could help the settlement process, particularly China.
He noted that China had previously played a positive role in restoring relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia and said Tehran and Beijing enjoy very good relations as strategic partners.
According to the Iranian foreign minister, Iran believes China has good intentions and would welcome any Chinese effort aimed at helping diplomacy.
He also expressed hope that progress in negotiations would eventually lead to full security in the Strait of Hormuz and a faster return of maritime traffic to normal conditions.