Post by : Jyoti Gupta

Photo:AFP

Tehran, June 30 — Iran has made it clear that it will not return to the negotiating table unless the United States rules out further military strikes. Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi stated that Tehran received a message from Washington, through mediators, expressing interest in restarting nuclear talks this week — but without any guarantees that the airstrikes would stop.

The demand comes in the wake of a 12-day conflict that erupted after Israel launched targeted attacks on Iranian nuclear and military facilities on June 13, claiming Tehran was nearing nuclear weapons capability. Iran responded with missile strikes, and on June 21, the U.S. escalated the conflict by bombing three major Iranian nuclear sites: Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan.

Takht-Ravanchi said Iran “insists” on its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, especially as it has been denied access to global nuclear material. “To demand zero enrichment, and threaten bombing if we disagree — that is the law of the jungle,” he said.

While the U.S. claimed the nuclear facilities were “totally obliterated,” the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported “severe but not total” damage. The agency also said Iran could resume enrichment within months. Takht-Ravanchi declined to confirm this timeline, citing ongoing assessments.

Strains with the IAEA deepened after Iran’s parliament voted to suspend cooperation with the agency, accusing it of siding with the U.S. and Israel.

Iran had been part of the 2015 nuclear agreement which limited uranium enrichment to 3.67%. However, after former President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, Iran began scaling back its commitments. By 2021, the IAEA confirmed that Iran had resumed enrichment at 60% purity — nearing weapons-grade levels.

When asked whether Iran would consider halting its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, Takht-Ravanchi rejected the idea outright. “Why should we agree to such a proposal?” he said, reaffirming the peaceful nature of Iran’s program.

He also pushed back against Western criticism, calling European support for U.S. and Israeli military action “ridiculous,” and warned critics to “stay silent” if they cannot oppose aggression.

On the political front, Iran revealed that it had received messages indicating that the U.S. does not intend to pursue regime change. This came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Iranians to rise up against their leadership — a call that Iran dismissed as futile. Takht-Ravanchi said that while Iranians may disagree on internal matters, they would unite in the face of foreign aggression.

As for the ceasefire currently in place between Iran and Israel, Iran said it will hold as long as there are no further attacks. Gulf nations, including Qatar, have been working behind the scenes to maintain calm and support diplomatic efforts.

“Iran does not seek war,” Takht-Ravanchi concluded. “We want dialogue and diplomacy, but we must remain prepared in case of another surprise attack.”