{"id":994,"date":"2026-02-08T00:50:43","date_gmt":"2026-02-08T00:50:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=994"},"modified":"2026-02-08T00:50:43","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T00:50:43","slug":"iran-fm-looks-to-more-nuclear-talks-but-warns-us-against-any-attack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=994","title":{"rendered":"Iran FM looks to more nuclear talks, but warns US against any attack"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday he hoped talks with the United States would resume soon, while reiterating Tehran\u2019s red lines and warning against any American attack.<\/p>\n

According to excerpts published on his official Telegram channel during an interview with the Al Jazeera<\/em> network, Araghchi said that Iran\u2019s missile programme was \u201cnever negotiable\u201d in Friday\u2019s talks <\/a>in Oman.<\/p>\n

He warned that Tehran would target US bases in the region if the US attacked Iranian territory.<\/p>\n

However, Araghchi also said that despite the talks in Muscat being indirect, \u201can opportunity arose to shake hands with the American delegation\u201d.<\/p>\n

He called the talks \u201ca good start\u201d, but added that building trust would take time. He said the talks would resume \u201csoon\u201d.<\/p>\n

US President Donald Trump on Friday called the talks \u201cvery good<\/a>\u201d and pledged another round of negotiations next week.<\/p>\n

Despite this, he signed an executive order effective from Saturday that called for the \u201cimposition of tariffs\u201d on countries still doing business with Iran.<\/p>\n

The United States also announced new sanctions<\/a> against numerous shipping entities and vessels, aimed at curbing Iran\u2019s oil exports.<\/p>\n

More than a quarter of Iran\u2019s trade is with China, with $18 billion in imports and $14.5bn in exports in 2024, according to World Trade Organisation data.<\/p>\n

Araghchi told Al Jazeera<\/em> that nuclear enrichment was Iran\u2019s \u201cinalienable right and must continue\u201d.<\/p>\n

<\/a>\u2018Defence issue\u2019<\/h2>\n

\u201cWe are ready to reach a reassuring agreement on enrichment,\u201d he said. \u201cThe Iranian nuclear case will only be resolved through negotiations.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also said Iran\u2019s missile programme was \u201cnever negotiable\u201d because it relates to a \u201cdefence issue\u201d.<\/p>\n

Washington has sought to address Iran\u2019s ballistic missile programme and its support for proxies in the region \u2014 issues which Israel has pushed to include in the talks, according to media reports.<\/p>\n

Tehran has repeatedly rejected expanding the scope of the negotiations beyond the nuclear issue.<\/p>\n

Friday\u2019s unprecedented talks between the two arch enemies came amid a major US military buildup in the region in the wake of Iran\u2019s crackdown <\/a>on protests that began in late December, driven by economic grievances.<\/p>\n

Aragchi warned that Iran \u201cwill attack their (US) bases in the region\u201d if Washington targets Iranian territory.<\/p>\n

The negotiations were the first since nuclear talks between Iran and the United States collapsed last year following Israel\u2019s unprecedented bombing campaign<\/a> against Iran, which triggered a 12-day war<\/a>.<\/p>\n

During the war, US warplanes bombed <\/a>Iranian nuclear sites.<\/p>\n

Araghchi told Al Jazeera<\/em> that if attacked again, \u201cwe will attack their bases in the region\u201d, referring to the United States.<\/p>\n

At Friday\u2019s talks in Oman, the US delegation was led by Trump\u2019s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and his influential son-in-law Jared Kushner.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a very positive atmosphere, our arguments were exchanged and the views of the other side were shared with us,\u201d Araghchi told Iranian state TV after the talks, adding that the two sides had \u201cagreed to continue negotiations\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Speaking to the official IRNA<\/em> news agency, Araghchi expressed hope that Washington would refrain from \u201cthreats and pressure\u201d so that \u201cthe talks can continue\u201d.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, Araghchi criticised what he labelled a \u201cdoctrine of domination\u201d that allows Israel to expand its military arsenal while pressuring other states in the region to disarm.<\/p>\n

He was speaking at the Al Jazeera<\/em> Forum conference in Qatar, but in his speech did not refer to Friday\u2019s talks in Oman with the United States.<\/p>\n