Tehran Will Not Retain Nuclear Rights Despite Trump's Threats, Declares Araghchi
Speaking at a conference in the capital today, Araghchi asserted that Iran has already paid a heavy price to defend its peaceful nuclear activities and its right to enrichment. He questioned the authority of external powers to dictate Iran's nuclear policy, emphasizing that the management of these rights belongs solely to the Iranian state.
The defiant statement comes just two days after Araghchi held indirect talks with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Muscat, Oman, on February 6. These negotiations, aimed at establishing a framework for a new nuclear deal, were the first high-level engagement since the "12-day war" in June 2025, during which the U.S. and Israel launched significant strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Despite President Donald Trump's previous claims that Iran’s nuclear capabilities were "obliterated" during those strikes, the U.S. administration is now pushing for a comprehensive agreement that includes the total cessation of enrichment.
In response to the U.S. military buildup in the region—which Trump has termed a "beautiful armada" led by the USS Abraham Lincoln—Araghchi noted that the presence of American warships does not intimidate Tehran. He warned that any fresh American attack would be met with retaliation against U.S. bases in the Middle East. While Iran has expressed a willingness to negotiate on the nuclear file to gain sanctions relief for its struggling economy, Araghchi reiterated that the country’s ballistic missile program and human rights issues remain strictly off the table. Analysts suggest this hardline rhetoric is a strategic move to strengthen Iran’s bargaining position as it faces its weakest economic and political standing since the 1979 Revolution.
