Daijiworld Media Network – Tehran
Tehran, Feb 21: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran is prepared for peace and diplomacy with the United States, asserting that a negotiated agreement over Iran’s nuclear programme remains within reach despite escalating rhetoric from Washington.
In an interview with US television network MS NOW on Friday, Araghchi said there was no military solution to Iran’s nuclear issue. “A diplomatic solution is at our reach; we can easily achieve it,” he said, adding that any agreement must be fair and based on a “win-win” approach.
He criticised the growing US military presence in the Middle East, including the deployment of aircraft carriers and fighter jets, calling it “unnecessary and unhelpful”. A military option, he warned, would have “disastrous consequences” not only for Iran but for the wider region and the international community.
Hours after the interview, US President Donald Trump said he was considering limited strikes against Iran to strengthen Washington’s negotiating position. Trump has recently given Tehran a deadline of up to 15 days to reach a deal and has repeatedly warned of tough consequences if an agreement is not finalised.
The two countries have held two rounds of talks in the past month, with officials describing the discussions as positive. However, tensions remain high amid reports that the USS Gerald R Ford, one of the world’s largest aircraft carriers, entered the Mediterranean en route to the Gulf region.
Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have previously claimed that joint US-Israeli strikes last year “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities. International monitors have not publicly confirmed the current status of Iran’s nuclear programme.
Tehran insists that its uranium enrichment activities are peaceful and within its rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). While Iran has expressed readiness to accept strict monitoring and limits, it has ruled out dismantling its enrichment programme entirely.
Araghchi said the next step in the negotiations would involve Iran presenting a written draft proposal to US negotiators, led by Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff. He added that both sides had agreed on guiding principles and would seek to finalise the language of a possible agreement in upcoming meetings.