Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated Tehran’s skepticism toward resuming nuclear negotiations with the United States, citing the need for tangible commitments rather than rhetoric.
In an interview on Saturday with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Araghchi discussed the lingering doubts within the Iranian leadership over returning to talks, particularly in the wake of last month’s joint Israeli-American airstrikes and the ensuing 12-day conflict.
“If we still have not agreed to resume nuclear negotiations with the United States, it is because we need to see the genuine will of the other side—the will to reach a mutually beneficial solution,” Araghchi said.
He continued:
“We are still evaluating the situation because we need to see real commitment—not just words—from the U.S. We need to know they are serious about a win-win solution. Our nuclear program is strictly peaceful, and we are fully confident in that. We’re also ready to share that confidence with others, but only through meaningful negotiations.”
On June 15, during the height of the conflict, Israeli forces reportedly targeted a bunker housing Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), nearly killing President Massoud Pezeshkian and several high-ranking political and military officials. The attack, widely interpreted in Tehran as a U.S.-backed attempt at "regime change," has sharply escalated tensions and hardened Iran’s stance.
Iran’s Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh further underscored this view in a statement on Saturday, saying:
“We don’t trust the ceasefire at all. The Israelis are plotting. We are treating this simply as a time to prepare ourselves and plan multiple scenarios for the next round.”
Following the 12-day conflict, Iran passed legislation suspending its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Tehran has refused to return to talks unless it receives unequivocal guarantees that neither Israel nor the United States will launch further attacks during ongoing or future negotiations.
While U.S. intelligence now assesses that Iran’s nuclear program may have been delayed by only a few months due to the strikes, the situation is compounded by the lack of international oversight. Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium remains unaccounted for, further intensifying pressure on the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.