Iran Accuses US of Coercion, Calls for Genuine Diplomacy Over Nuke Talks

By Al Ahed Staff, Agencies

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi sharply criticized the United States for what he described as hypocrisy and deception, urging Washington to pursue sincere diplomacy rather than coercive tactics. He condemned US statements at the UN Security Council suggesting openness to negotiations, arguing that true dialogue cannot occur while military force is used against the other side.

Araqchi was responding to remarks by Morgan Ortagus, the US deputy special envoy for West Asia, who said Washington remains open to “meaningful” talks with Iran over its nuclear program but ruled out uranium enrichment on Iranian soil.

Araqchi dismissed this stance as a unilateral demand, saying it amounted to imposed terms rather than negotiation, and called it a distorted version of diplomacy.

He pointed to recent events, saying Iran was engaged in talks when the US and “Israel” launched military attacks in June, effectively undermining the diplomatic process. According to Araqchi, Iran responded by defending itself and resisting aggression until a halt to the attacks was imposed on June 24 through retaliatory actions.

Araqchi stressed that offering diplomacy while deploying bombers and later portraying military outcomes as successes contradicts any claim of good-faith engagement. He urged the US to abandon what he described as deceptive practices and instead commit to honest negotiations.

Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations echoed these criticisms, accusing Washington of enabling and coordinating the "Israeli" entity’s actions while simultaneously lecturing about diplomacy. The mission rejected demands such as “zero enrichment,” arguing that ultimatums and pressure dressed up as diplomatic language are aimed at forcing surrender, not reaching agreement. It emphasized that Iran’s position is based on international law rather than power politics.