Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that "we don't see any reason why we should talk with Americans" as President Trump has claimed Iran is seeking a deal to end the war between the U.S. and Iran,
CBS News reports.
"We never asked for a ceasefire, and we have never asked even for negotiation," Araghchi said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."
As the war entered its third week, Mr. Trump has claimed in recent days that Iran wants to reach a deal. The president said in a post on Truth Social late Friday that Iran "is totally defeated and wants a deal - But not a deal that I would accept!" On Saturday, he told NBC News that "Iran wants to make a deal, and I don't want to make it because the terms aren't good enough yet."
But Araghchi said "we are ready to defend ourselves as long as it takes," saying "this is what we have done so far, and we continue to do that until President Trump comes to the point that this is an illegal war with no victory."
"There are, you know, people being killed only because President Trump wants to have fun," Araghchi said. "This is a war of choice by President Trump and the United States, and we are going to continue our self defense."
The Iranian foreign minister refuted the idea that the conflict represents a war of survival for Iran's government, saying "we are, you know, stable and strong enough." He said the Iranian government doesn't see "any reason" why it should negotiate with the U.S., pointing to the talks that were taking place before the U.S. and Israel launched the initial strikes on Iran late last month.
"We were talking with them when they decided to attack us, and that was for the second time," he said. "There is no good experience talking with the Americans. We were talking, so why they decided to attack us? So what is good if we go back to talk once again?"
Mr. Trump on Sunday night said the U.S. has been in communication with the Iranians. "Yeah, we're talking to them," Mr. Trump said, "but I don't think they're ready. But they're getting pretty close."
Mr. Trump's negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had been engaged in negotiations with Iran ahead of the strikes. During those talks, Araghchi said, Iran offered to dilute its enriched uranium in what he called a "big concession in order to prove that Iran has never wanted nuclear weapons and would never want them."
Asked by Margaret Brennan whether that offer still stands, Araghchi said "there is nothing on the table right now."
"Everything depends on the future," he said. "If any time in the future we decide to enter into negotiation with the U.S. or other interlocutors, you know, we may decide what to put on the table. For the time being, nothing is on the table."
