Araghchi noted that Iran will continue enriching uranium and has no plans to curtail its missile program. He also stated that Tehran is willing to engage in indirect talks with Washington "to allay concerns.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Tehran will continue enriching uranium and developing its missile program, but remains open to the possibility of reaching a compromise with the United States on the nuclear issue, according to the Mehr news agency.
"We will not negotiate on our missile program, and no sane person will agree to disarm it," Araghchi said, suggesting that an agreement could be reached through indirect talks, during which "concerns about our nuclear program will be allayed."
Israel began striking Iranian territory on the night of June 13. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified Iran's nuclear infrastructure, ballistic missile factories, and other military facilities as targets. He said Tehran had approached the "point of no return" in developing nuclear weapons.
Iranian authorities have declared their right to peaceful nuclear energy, their lack of desire to possess weapons of mass destruction, and their willingness to guarantee this in the future. On June 13, Tehran launched a retaliatory military operation against Israel, including the use of ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
On the night of June 22, the United States intervened in the conflict and attacked three nuclear facilities in Iran—Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan. Following this, the parties agreed to a ceasefire. US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran's uranium enrichment facilities had been completely destroyed. Tehran reported no serious damage.
There are five official nuclear powers in the world—they are also permanent members of the UN Security Council : the United Kingdom, China, Russia, the United States, and France. Their right to such weapons is stipulated in the 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). It states that a state that has "manufactured and exploded a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device before January 1, 1967" is considered a nuclear weapons state.
Since that date, India, Pakistan, and North Korea have conducted nuclear tests. Israel also possesses nuclear weapons. These countries, as well as South Sudan, are not party to the NPT.