Our commitment to acting responsibly to avoid a full-scale regional war should not be misinterpreted
Irans Foreign Minister: Israels War Sabotaged Diplomacy – The US Can Revive It
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Iran's Foreign Minister: Israel's War Sabotaged Diplomacy – The US Can Revive It
Below is an op-ed by Dr. Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Minister of Foreign Affairs, as published in the Financial Times on July 8, 2025, for your consideration.
In a mere five meetings spanning nine weeks, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and I achieved more progress than I had in four years of nuclear negotiations with the failed Biden administration. We stood on the verge of a historic breakthrough. To address legitimate US concerns that Iran might one day divert its peaceful nuclear programme, we engaged in detailed and candid discussions – including the crucial matter of the future of Iranian uranium enrichment. Several promising ideas for a mutually beneficial, win-win solution emerged, put forward by both sides, as well as by the Sultanate of Oman, which played a constructive mediating role.
Equally important, our dialogue extended beyond the nuclear issue. We focused intently on the termination of crippling sanctions that had long hampered Iran's economy. Furthermore, we explored the prospect of significant US involvement in broader economic cooperation, an initiative that held the potential to unlock a trillion-dollar opportunity, benefiting both our nations. Iran demonstrated a clear openness to mutually beneficial collaboration that would have injected vital energy into the Iranian economy. This approach also directly addressed a key priority of then-President Donald Trump: the revival of struggling American industries, including the critical nuclear energy sector.
The atmosphere surrounding these discussions was positive and forward-looking, characterized by a flurry of exchanged messages indicating a genuine desire for progress. However, this promising trajectory was brutally disrupted a mere 48 hours before a pivotal sixth meeting was scheduled to take place. Israel launched an unprovoked and reckless assault on my country. This act of aggression went far beyond targeting alleged military sites. Homes, hospitals, our essential energy infrastructure, and even prisons were bombed indiscriminately. Tragically, these attacks also included the cowardly killings of respected academics and their innocent families.
This unwarranted military action constituted a profound betrayal of diplomacy. Just as the dialogue between Iran and the US was finally gaining meaningful momentum, this reckless bombardment sent an unambiguous and damaging message: Israel unequivocally prefers conflict and escalation over peaceful resolution and diplomatic engagement.
Israel falsely and transparently claimed that its air strikes were aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. This assertion is baseless and disingenuous. In reality, as a committed signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran has consistently upheld its obligations and has always been dedicated to a peaceful nuclear programme under the robust monitoring and verification regime of the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
As any dignified nation subjected to such blatant aggression would, Iran fiercely resisted the assault until Israel was compelled to rely on President Trump's intervention to bring an end to the war it had unilaterally initiated. Having been unjustly wronged once by such an act of bad faith, Iran now understandably approaches any future engagement with a heightened sense of caution and vigilance.
Our steadfast commitment to acting responsibly and with restraint to avoid a full-scale regional war should not, under any circumstances, be misinterpreted as a sign of weakness. We possess the resolve and the capability to forcefully defend our people and our territorial integrity, and we will decisively defeat any future attack on our nation. Should the need ever arise, we will not hesitate to reveal the true extent of our capabilities, dispelling any lingering illusions about Iran's inherent strength and resilience.
It is abundantly clear that the significant progress painstakingly achieved in the talks between Iran and the US has been deliberately sabotaged; not by Iran, which engaged in good faith, but by an ostensible ally of the United States whose narrow interests clearly lie in perpetuating regional instability. This is to say nothing of the fateful and deeply regrettable decision by the US to seemingly allow itself to be cajoled into undermining the very foundations of international law and the NPT through its own ill-advised military actions in the region.
Although Iran has received messages in recent days suggesting that the US may be prepared to return to the negotiating table, a fundamental question remains: how can we, with any degree of confidence, trust further engagement given this recent history of betrayal and bad faith? Iran painstakingly negotiated and signed a comprehensive nuclear deal – the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – with six world powers, including the United States, in 2015. Washington then unilaterally and without just cause abrogated this internationally endorsed agreement a mere three years later, demonstrating a profound disregard for its international commitments. And after agreeing to embark on new negotiations in good faith, we have seen our goodwill repaid with a devastating attack by two nuclear-armed militaries.
Despite these deeply troubling developments, Iran remains fundamentally interested in genuine diplomacy as the most viable path towards sustainable peace and security in our volatile region. However, we have every legitimate reason to harbor serious doubts about the prospects for any further dialogue with a partner that has demonstrated such a profound lack of reliability and commitment to its own agreements.
If there is indeed a genuine desire on the part of the United States to resolve the outstanding issues amicably and through diplomatic means, then Washington must demonstrate a clear and unequivocal readiness for an equitable and mutually respectful accord. This requires a fundamental shift in approach and a demonstrable commitment to upholding international law and agreements. Washington should also be under no illusion that its actions in recent weeks have not fundamentally altered the strategic landscape and eroded trust.
The proud and resilient people of Iran will never succumb to pressure or agree to surrender their sovereignty or their legitimate rights. Iran is a millennia-old civilization that has weathered countless invasions and emerged stronger and more determined each time. While we have always profoundly preferred peace and constructive engagement, we have also always been the ultimate arbiter of when, and how, aggression against our people and our nation will end. As the Israeli regime’s repeated miscalculations and acts of aggression have starkly demonstrated, Iranians invariably rally in complete unison against any aggressor.
Negotiations held under the shadow of war and military threats are inherently unstable and lack the essential element of trust. Dialogue pursued amidst coercion and intimidation can never be genuine or lead to lasting solutions. For diplomacy to succeed and bear fruit, it must be built on a solid foundation of mutual respect, equality, and a genuine commitment to finding common ground. Nor can it survive perpetual acts of sabotage and obstruction by third parties who fear the prospect of a peaceful resolution and the establishment of stability in the region.
The American people, who have borne the heavy costs of endless wars and interventions in the Middle East, deserve to know that their country is being recklessly pushed towards a wholly avoidable and unwarranted conflict by a foreign regime that demonstrably does not share their long-term interests. As for Washington, it should be unequivocally clear by now that such acts of aggression only serve to make our scientists, our achievements, and our determination to pursue our own path even more deeply cherished and resolute.
Then-President Trump's much-touted promise of "America First" is, in practice, being dangerously twisted into "Israel First," with potentially devastating consequences for both the United States and the wider region. Having witnessed the tragic sacrifice of thousands of American lives and the wasteful expenditure of trillions of their taxpayer dollars in ill-conceived military adventures in our region, the American people appear to have finally reached a point of exhaustion and disillusionment with this destructive cycle.
The only viable and sustainable path towards peace and stability requires a fundamental recognition within the United States that respectful dialogue, based on mutual understanding and a genuine commitment to peaceful coexistence, and not reckless coercion and military adventurism, is the only responsible and effective way forward. The choice, ultimately, rests with America. Will the United States finally choose the path of diplomacy, mutual respect, and peaceful engagement? Or will it remain dangerously ensnared in the self-serving agenda and destructive conflicts of others, to the detriment of its own interests and the peace and security of the region?