Senior Diplomat: Iran Open to Negotiations, Rejects Western Impositions

By Staff, Agencies

A senior Iranian diplomat has reaffirmed that the Islamic Republic remains open to logical negotiations based on mutual respect but will never yield to coercion or imposed conditions.

Kamal Kharrazi, head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations and member of the Expediency Council, made the remarks in an interview published Wednesday on the official website of Leader of the Islamic Revolution His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei.

Kharrazi underscored that any negotiations must adhere to the principles of dignity, wisdom and expediency—guidelines outlined by the Leader as essential to any dialogue worthy of Iran’s participation.

“If negotiations are conducted on logical grounds and the dignity of the Islamic Republic is respected, we are ready to talk—provided that nothing is imposed upon us,” Kharrazi said. “If there is any attempt at imposition, we will stand against it”.

He recalled Imam Khamenei’s recent remarks rejecting US demands in nuclear talks, saying that discussions conducted under threats or preconditions were not genuine negotiations. “That is not negotiation. That is dictation, that is imposition,” he quoted the Leader as saying.

Kharrazi elaborated on the meaning of the three principles: dignity entails preserving national honor and rejecting humiliation; wisdom calls for logical and rational dialogue; and expediency demands a realistic approach that allows reasonable flexibility to achieve mutual benefit.

He noted that Iran’s decision to engage in indirect talks with the US before the outbreak of the illegal “Israeli”-American war in June reflected wisdom and demonstrated Tehran’s goodwill, even amid doubts about the other side’s sincerity. “The Leader approved the framework of indirect talks to showcase Iran’s logic and goodwill to the world,” Kharrazi said.

Despite five rounds of indirect talks, Kharrazi emphasized that Iran’s national interests and right to nuclear enrichment were never compromised. “Our dignity was preserved, and our flexibility was shown only within logical limits,” he said.

According to Kharrazi, the eruption of the 12-day war during the talks exposed Western insincerity and their attempt to impose restrictions beyond the nuclear file. “The West proved it is not committed to logical dialogue. Iran will never negotiate its missile capability or its support for the regional Resistance Axis,” he stated.

He insisted that Iran views diplomacy as a sign of strength and rationality—not weakness. “Our two decades of nuclear diplomacy prove that while we are always ready for dialogue, we never accept imposition,” Kharrazi said.

The diplomat added that Iran’s recent outreach to European governments was aimed at urging them to halt their efforts to reactivate nuclear-related sanctions, though these states persisted in their counterproductive approach.

Kharrazi also dismissed the West’s persistent accusations that Iran seeks to develop nuclear weapons, calling such claims the result of a fundamental misunderstanding of Iran’s religious values. “The Leader’s fatwa prohibits the acquisition or possession of nuclear arms,” he said. “Westerners do not take this seriously because they fail to grasp our religious culture”.

He reminded that Iran had voluntarily implemented the IAEA’s Additional Protocol, allowing inspectors unrestricted access to its nuclear facilities. “The IAEA’s own data confirm that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons,” he noted.

Kharrazi stressed that the nuclear issue was merely a pretext for political pressure and hostility toward the Islamic Revolution. “Self-reliance is a core principle,” he said, arguing that nuclear energy is vital for Iran’s long-term independence as fossil fuels eventually deplete.

“Iran aims to generate 20,000 megawatts of nuclear electricity,” he declared. “To do that, we must have the technical capacity to produce fuel ourselves, because enrichment is an inalienable right and the foundation of our energy sovereignty”.

Turning to the recent “Israeli” aggression, Kharrazi said the enemy made “a grave mistake” by initiating the attack, which was met with a decisive and powerful response by Iran’s Armed Forces. “Our swift and strong retaliation forced the enemy to seek a ceasefire,” he said.

He praised Ayatollah Khamenei’s leadership throughout the crisis, noting that the Leader immediately appointed replacements for martyred commanders and personally addressed the nation in televised messages that restored calm and confidence.

“The enemy’s goal was to destabilize Iran’s defense system, but the Leader’s prudence and timely action thwarted the scheme,” Kharrazi concluded. “The Islamic Republic, relying on its domestic strength and the resolve of its people, stands fully prepared for any future challenge”.