N-programme will always remain entirely peaceful, says Minister
IRAN’S Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has stressed that his country will not consider holding nuclear negotiations under pressure and intimidation.
In a post on X while reacting to US President Donald Trump’s calls for negotiating a nuclear deal with Tehran, Araghchi said on March 10, “We will not negotiate under pressure and intimidation,” particularly referring to Washington’s military threats and sanctions against Iran. “We will not even consider it (negotiation), no matter what the subject may be. Negotiation is different from bullying and issuing diktats.”
He reiterated that “Iran’s nuclear energy program has always been and will always remain entirely peaceful,” denying any accusation of its “potential militarisation.”
Araghchi added that Iran was holding separate consultations with international stakeholders “on an equal footing and with mutual respect,” aiming to explore ways to build more confidence and more transparency on its nuclear program in return for the lifting of “unlawful” sanctions.
In an interview with Fox Business Network broadcast recently, Trump said he wants to negotiate the nuclear issue with Iran and had sent a letter to the country’s leadership, Xinhua news agency reported. Speaking at a weekly press conference in Tehran on March 10, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the country had not received such a letter yet.