BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. Iran has not
turned to the U.S. with a plea for talks, the Iranian Foreign
Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi told reporters following the Cabinet
meeting in Tehran on January 28, Trend reports.
According to him, in recent days, there have been no contacts
between the Iranian Foreign Minister and US Special Representative
Steve Witkoff.
Aragchi noted that some countries are making efforts and holding
consultations as mediators for negotiations. Iran maintains
contacts with these countries.
“If the U.S. wants negotiations, then there can be no talk of
negotiations under threat. Negotiations have their own
circumstances and can be conducted based on equality and mutual
respect,” he noted.
On April 12, 19, and 26, and May 11 and 23, 2025, five rounds of
indirect talks between Iran and the US on Iran's nuclear program
took place. The indirect talks were organized through the mediation
of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, Sayyid
Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, and were conducted by an Iranian delegation
led by Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and a U.S. delegation
led by U.S. Special Representative for the Middle East Steve
Witkoff. The first, third, and fourth rounds of talks took place in
Muscat, the capital of Oman, and the second and fifth rounds took
place in Rome, the capital of Italy.
On the morning of June 13, 2025, Israel launched air strikes
against Iran. The strikes killed a large number of high-ranking
military officials, generals, nuclear scientists, and other senior
officials.
On the same evening, Iran responded to Israel with Operation
True Promise III, launching hundreds of ballistic missiles and
drones at several targets, including Tel Aviv, resulting in
civilian casualties and widespread destruction.
On June 22, the U.S. launched military airstrikes on three
Iranian nuclear sites. The airstrikes reportedly destroyed the
Iranian nuclear facilities.
