Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi reaffirmed the country’s commitment to diplomacy on Tuesday, stating that the progress toward a historic nuclear deal with the United States was disrupted by the recent Israel-Iran conflict. Araqchi highlighted that, prior to the outbreak of war, he and US special envoy Steve Witkoff were “on the cusp of a historic breakthrough.”
Araqchi shared these remarks in an article for the *Financial Times*, noting that five meetings over nine weeks had produced more progress than four years of nuclear negotiations with the Biden administration. The talks, he said, were just 48 hours away from a pivotal sixth meeting when Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June, triggering the conflict.
The airstrikes, followed by a 12-day air war between Iran and Israel, saw the US also becoming involved, with Trump ordering US bombers to strike Iranian underground facilities. Araqchi revealed that despite the setback, he had received messages indicating Washington’s potential willingness to resume negotiations.
He stressed that while Iran remains committed to diplomatic efforts, there is skepticism about further dialogue unless the US shows genuine readiness for a fair agreement. Araqchi also noted that the US’s 2018 withdrawal from the nuclear deal under President Trump still weighs heavily on Iran’s confidence in the process.
In the midst of these developments, US President Trump confirmed that talks with Iran had been scheduled, expressing a desire to eventually lift sanctions on the country. This comes after a series of meetings between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Meanwhile, a French diplomatic source warned that European powers might reinstate UN sanctions on Iran if a nuclear deal fails to address European security concerns.
Despite these tensions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed hope that dialogue with the US could resolve their differences.
