2026-01-31 12:00
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2026-01-31 12:00
Iran is ready to resume talks with the US as long as they are “honest” and do not include issues of defense capabilities, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi said on Friday during a press conference as part of his visit to Istanbul.
Aragchi ruled out any discussion about Iran's military potential.
“Iran's missile and defense systems have never been and will never be the subject of any negotiations,” he said, adding that Iran would continue to strengthen its defense.
– Negotiations cannot be dictated or contain preconditions, Aragchi said. – If one of the parties dictates its demands, it is not a negotiation – he said.
US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he plans talks with Iran. At the same time, the US sent warships to the Middle East, and the head of the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, assured that the military would be ready to implement any decision of the president.
As Reuters reported, citing senior Iranian officials, one of the main US demands towards Iran is to limit its missile program; Tehran rejects this demand.
Aragchi told reporters that there are no current talks between Iran and the US. He added that his country was ready for both negotiations and war. He described his talks with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan as “good and useful.” He also confirmed that Iran is ready to cooperate with countries in the region to promote stability and peace.
Regional allies, including Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, are taking diplomatic actions to prevent a military confrontation between Washington and Tehran, Reuters recalled.
Minister Fidan told reporters that he spoke with US special envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday and that he would continue to talk to the US administration about Iran. He stated that he hoped that a solution would be found that would avoid an armed conflict and the isolation of Iran.
The Turkish minister, quoted by Iran International, said that Ankara opposes any attack on Iran. – We could not accept any attack – said Fidan. – We believe that the only right way is to work on dialogue and focus on solutions – he added.
Fidan stated that Turkey's foreign policy priority is to avoid new wars in the region. He warned that continued conflict was fueling terrorism, mass migration, poverty and instability.
On Wednesday, President Trump toughened his tone, threatening Iran with military action that would be much more serious than the 2025 shelling when the US bombed Iran's nuclear facilities. He added that when Iran refused to abandon its nuclear program in June, it was attacked.
“The next attack will be much worse! Don't let it happen,” Trump wrote on the social media site. The American leader demands that Iran conclude a nuclear agreement and abandon attempts to build nuclear weapons. (PAP)
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