Iranian Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi has confirmed direct contact with United States President Donald Trump’s high envoy Steve Witkoff amid the continuing struggle, however downplayed talks of negotiations in an unique interview with Al Jazeera on Tuesday.
Araghchi additionally spoke about the way forward for the Strait of Hormuz – the essential waterway via which 20 % of the world’s oil and gasoline cross in peacetime – after the struggle is over, and about Iran’s preparations for a possible US floor invasion.
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Listed here are key takeaways from Araghchi’s interview with Al Jazeera:
Talked to Witkoff, however no negotiations
Araghchi confirmed that he had held conversations with Witkoff, Trump’s trusted envoy for peace negotiations all over the world, throughout the present battle.
However the Iranian international minister downplayed that contact.
“I obtain messages from Witkoff immediately, as earlier than, and this doesn’t imply that we’re in negotiations,” he mentioned.
“There is no such thing as a fact to the declare of negotiations with any get together in Iran. All messages are conveyed via the Overseas Ministry or obtained by it, and there are communications between safety companies,” he added.
Araghchi defined that they’ve by no means had a “good expertise” negotiating with the US, referring to Washington’s resolution to withdraw from the Barack Obama-era nuclear deal throughout Trump’s first time period. The US has additionally twice attacked Iran throughout negotiations over the previous 9 months — in June 2025 and with the present struggle, which started on February 28, at a time when Oman, the mediator between the 2 sides, had mentioned they have been on the cusp of a breakthrough over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
“We would not have any religion that negotiations with the US will yield any outcomes. The belief stage is at zero,” Araghchi mentioned, including: “We don’t see honesty.”
Pakistan has been facilitating the contacts between Araghchi and Witkoff in latest days, officers shut to those developments have instructed Al Jazeera. Pakistan additionally hosted talks with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye final weekend, to try to construct momentum for direct talks between Iran and the US. Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Overseas Minister Ishaq Dar additionally visited Beijing on Tuesday to try to safe China’s assist for these efforts.
Iran, Oman to resolve Strait of Hormuz future
Within the interview, Araghchi argued that the waters of the Strait of Hormuz fall below the territorial management of Iran and Oman, and that when the struggle is over, it’s these two nations who would resolve the way forward for the waterway.
However he added that the strait must be a “peaceable waterway”.
Gulf nations, together with Qatar, have, nevertheless, insisted that they be included in any talks to resolve the way forward for the strait.
Araghchi additionally insisted within the interview that, from Iran’s perspective, the strait is open for ships from most nations.
“Just for the ships of those that are at struggle with us, this strait is closed. That’s regular throughout struggle – we can’t let our enemies use our territorial waters for commerce,” he defined.
“Ships linked to different nations – due to safety considerations, due to excessive insurance coverage costs, or no matter different purpose – they’ve determined to not use the strait,” he mentioned. He additionally talked about that some nations have engaged in negotiations with the Iranian authorities for the transit of their ships: some Indian, Pakistani, Turkish and Chinese language vessels have handed via the strait.
On a US floor invasion: ‘We’re ready for them’
Whilst Trump and his administration have spoken of diplomacy with Iran, the US has ramped up troop deployments to the Gulf in latest days.
Latest media studies from the US have additionally urged that the Pentagon is making ready choices for a floor invasion of Iran.
Requested about these studies, Araghchi mentioned Iran was able to struggle US troops in the event that they have been to interact in a land struggle.
“We’re ready for them,” he mentioned. “I don’t suppose they’d dare to do such a factor. There might be lots of power ready for them.”
“We all know very effectively how one can defend ourselves. In a floor struggle, we will do it even higher. We’re utterly able to confront any kind of floor assault. We hope they don’t make such a mistake,” Araghchi mentioned.
