According to KhabarOnline, In an interview with Morning Joe on MSNBC, Seyed Abbas Araghchi said past experience has shown that military action neither halted Iran’s nuclear program nor reduced regional tensions.
“There is no military solution to Iran’s nuclear program. This has already been tested,” Araghchi said. “Extensive attacks were carried out against our facilities, and our scientists were assassinated, but they failed to eliminate the program.”
His remarks come as speculation grows in Western media about possible escalation or even military action targeting Iran. However, Araghchi emphasized that diplomacy remains the active track. He said Tehran is preparing a draft proposal for a potential agreement to present to the U.S. side within the next few days.
Rejecting “Zero Enrichment” Claims
A central focus of the interview was uranium enrichment, long a core point of contention between Tehran and Washington. Araghchi dismissed reports that Iran had offered a temporary suspension of enrichment or that the United States had formally demanded “zero enrichment.”
“We have not proposed any suspension, and the American side has not requested zero enrichment,” he said.
According to Araghchi, ongoing discussions center on how to ensure that Iran’s nuclear program remains peaceful on a permanent basis. In return, Iran is discussing confidence-building measures and the framework for lifting sanctions.
He noted that both technical and political commitments could form part of such guarantees, adding that Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has played a constructive role by offering technical proposals during recent talks.
Defining a “Win-Win” Agreement
Asked what Tehran considers a “win-win” deal, Araghchi said it would be one in which the United States is fully assured that Iran’s nuclear program is and will remain peaceful, while sanctions on Iran are lifted.
Referring indirectly to the 2015 nuclear agreement, he suggested that any future deal must be respected and implemented in good faith by all parties in order to be sustainable.
A Message to Washington: Respect for Respect
Araghchi drew a distinction between the American people and U.S. government policies, saying Iran does not consider the American public its enemy, but views certain U.S. policies as hostile.
“Previous U.S. administrations have tried almost everything against us—war, sanctions, snapback mechanisms—but none of it worked,” he said. “If you speak to the Iranian people with respect, you will receive respect in return. If you speak the language of force, you will receive the same.”
Warning Against Military Escalation
The Iranian foreign minister stressed that increased military deployments near Iran would not contribute to resolving the dispute.
“The military option will only complicate matters,” he said, warning that it could have “catastrophic consequences” not only for Iran but for the broader region and the international community, which he said is already fatigued by ongoing conflicts.
In sum, Tehran’s message was clear: Iran is prepared to move quickly in negotiations and is drafting a proposal for further talks. From the perspective of its top diplomat, the only viable path to preventing wider conflict lies in diplomacy—an agreement that addresses nuclear concerns while ending sanctions pressure.
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