Iran: "We Cannot Trust the U.S., but Diplomacy Is the Only Solution"

Araghchi: "There Is No Military Solution"


"We Are Prepared for Both Battlefield Return and Resumption of Negotiations"

Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, criticized the United States for being untrustworthy but emphasized that diplomacy is the only solution.

Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Foreign Ministry official. Reuters Yonhap News

At a press conference held in New Delhi, India, on May 15 (local time), Minister Araghchi stated, "We can never trust the Americans," and added, "If an agreement is to be reached, this distrust must be clearly resolved."

He explained his distrust of the United States by referring to nuclear negotiations with the U.S. held in Geneva at the end of February. At that time, the Omani Foreign Minister, who was serving as mediator, publicly announced that there had been "significant progress" after receiving confirmation from both the U.S. and Iranian delegations. However, just two days later, he claims that the United States and Israel attacked Iran.

Minister Araghchi criticized, "Although the U.S. delegation also expressed hope that the negotiations would be concluded soon, the attack was carried out afterward," adding, "This is a typical example of why the United States cannot be trusted."

Regarding the current ceasefire, he described the situation as "very fragile" but said, "We are trying to maintain the ceasefire to give diplomacy another chance."

He emphasized, "What the United States cannot achieve militarily, it will not be able to obtain at the negotiating table either," stressing, "Negotiation and diplomacy are the only win-win solutions." He also welcomed China's role in the process of resolving conflicts in the Middle East.

However, he warned, "Iran is prepared both to return to the battlefield and to resume negotiations. Which scenario unfolds depends on the choices of the other side."

Minister Araghchi also stated, "There are forces trying to sabotage diplomacy," criticizing those seeking to draw the United States into another war. This is interpreted as a veiled reference to Israel.

Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, he said, "Any vessel seeking to pass through the strait must coordinate with Iranian forces," and added, "Due to mines and obstacles, Iran must provide support to ensure safe navigation."

He reaffirmed Iran's longstanding position that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and criticized, "The United States claims that it has already destroyed Iran's nuclear capabilities while at the same time discussing the possibility of further attacks. Such contradictory statements are evidence that the United States is not committed to ending the conflict."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.