Iran’s top diplomat rejects President Trump’s call for face-to-face negotiations over the nuclear program, insists on indirect diplomacy

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

Iran has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest call for direct nuclear negotiations, with senior Iranian officials stating that face-to-face talks were “pointless” amid continued American threats of military action and inconsistent messaging from Washington.

According to a statement issued Sunday by Iran’s foreign ministry, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would not engage in direct negotiations with the United States. “It makes no sense to hold talks with a country that constantly threatens to resort to force in violation of the UN Charter and that expresses contradictory positions from its various officials,” Araghchi stated.

President Trump had publicly expressed a preference for “direct talks” during remarks on Thursday, arguing that such negotiations would be “faster” and more effective than using intermediaries. He also revealed that he had sent a letter to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, last month proposing negotiations while also warning of military consequences if diplomacy failed.

In response, Araghchi reiterated Iran’s willingness to engage in diplomacy but underscored the need for indirect channels. “We remain committed to diplomacy and are ready to try the path of indirect negotiations,” he said. “Iran keeps itself prepared for all possible or probable events, and just as it is serious in diplomacy and negotiations, it will also be decisive and serious in defending its national interests and sovereignty.”

On Saturday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also addressed the issue, stating that Iran was open to dialogue with the U.S. on “an equal footing.” However, he questioned American sincerity: “If you want negotiations, then what is the point of threatening?”

The exchange of letters was facilitated by Gulf states, with President Trump’s message delivered through the United Arab Emirates and Tehran’s reply routed back via the Sultanate of Oman. Iran’s military chief, General Mohammad Bagheri, commented on the exchange Sunday, emphasizing Tehran’s commitment to peace. “We seek peace in the region. We are not the ones who start wars, but we will respond to any threat with all our might,” Bagheri said.

The impasse highlights longstanding tensions between Tehran and Washington, which have had no formal diplomatic ties since the aftermath of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Regional players such as Oman have occasionally mediated between the two sides.

The current standoff follows years of fluctuating engagement over Iran’s nuclear program. In 2015, Iran agreed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a landmark deal with the United States, France, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The agreement traded sanctions relief for strict limits on Iran’s nuclear activities to ensure they remained peaceful.

However, in 2018, President Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from the JCPOA, reimposing severe sanctions and prompting Tehran to gradually scale back its commitments under the deal.

While Iran continues to deny any intent to pursue nuclear weapons, citing its program as strictly for civilian purposes, concerns persist in Washington and other Western capitals. On Monday, Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Ayatollah Khamenei, issued a pointed warning. “Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons,” he said, “but in the event of an attack against it, we would have no choice but to do so.”