Araghchi Details High-Stakes Negotiations Amid Escalating US-Iran Conflict

Araghchi described a climate of constant intimidation, asserting that Tehran refused to succumb to pressure despite American and Israeli threats. During an interview with the Mehr News Agency, the minister emphasized that Iran’s resolve remained unbroken even as the US attempted to secure concessions through military force. He maintained that Washington’s failure to achieve its goals at the negotiating table ultimately triggered the current armed confrontation.

Rejecting comparisons to the recent US-led regime change in Venezuela, Araghchi argued that Iran’s decentralized power structure prevents a total collapse following the removal of a single official. “This isn’t Venezuela where you take one person and everyone else gets scared,” he stated. This defiance comes as the conflict enters a volatile new phase. US Central Command confirmed a ninth consecutive day of strikes aimed at Iranian assets, while Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps retaliated with drone attacks on military bases in Kuwait and operations in Syria’s Al-Tanf region. Reports from the Tasnim news agency indicate that US missiles have struck multiple Iranian cities, including Tabriz and Chabahar, further destabilizing the Strait of Hormuz and deepening the regional crisis.