Iran has sent a strong message to Washington: if the U.S. truly wants diplomatic talks, it must first stop launching military strikes. This was the main point from Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, during a recent interview with the BBC.
He revealed that the Trump administration has quietly told Iran—through intermediaries—it wants to return to negotiations. But so far, the U.S. hasn’t clearly committed to halting further attacks while those talks take place. For Iran, that’s a big problem.
The current crisis began when Israel launched strikes on Iran in mid-June, hitting nuclear and military targets and assassinating Iranian scientists and commanders. These attacks derailed a planned round of talks in Oman, which was set to happen just days later.
Then, the U.S. became directly involved, bombing three of Iran’s nuclear sites. While Washington described these strikes as a necessary action, Iran viewed them as dangerous and provocative, making any real dialogue nearly impossible.
Iran Refuses to Back Down on Its Nuclear Program
One of the major sticking points between the U.S. and Iran is Tehran’s nuclear activities. Takht-Ravanchi was crystal clear: Iran will continue enriching uranium, claiming it needs to depend on itself after being denied access to nuclear material for research in the past.
He pushed back against Western accusations that Iran is secretly trying to build a bomb, saying the program is entirely peaceful. According to him, demands that Iran completely abandon uranium enrichment are simply unacceptable. “To say you should have zero enrichment, and if you don’t agree, we will bomb you—that is the law of the jungle,” he said.
Under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Iran agreed to limit its uranium enrichment to 3.67%, far below the level needed for weapons. But when Trump pulled out of the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, Iran started ignoring those limits in response.
Since then, Iran has enriched uranium up to 60% purity, insisting it has no intention to build nuclear weapons but needs higher levels for advanced research and potential future energy projects. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says this stockpile could theoretically be converted into enough material for nuclear weapons, but Iran continues to deny any plan to do so.
A Fragile Ceasefire and Growing Distrust
Clashes Between Iran and Israel Sparked Wider Conflict
After Israel launched strikes on June 13th, Iran retaliated by firing missiles at Israeli targets. This round of fighting lasted nearly two weeks and saw the U.S. enter the conflict by bombing Iranian nuclear sites.
While President Trump claimed these strikes wiped out Iran’s nuclear program, the head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, said they caused serious damage but didn’t totally destroy Iran’s capabilities.
Meanwhile, Iran’s relationship with the IAEA has gone downhill. Recently, Iran’s parliament voted to suspend cooperation with the agency, accusing it of siding with the U.S. and Israel. This has raised new concerns in the West about whether Iran will allow future inspections of its facilities.
Iran’s Conditions for Dialogue
Iran says it’s ready to talk, but only if the U.S. stops threatening military action during negotiations. Takht-Ravanchi explained that Iran is still waiting for a clear answer from Washington on this point—and also wants to know what the U.S. is willing to offer to build trust.
So far, there’s no set date for new talks, despite Trump hinting they could happen soon. According to Takht-Ravanchi, Iran wants to avoid war but must stay alert in case of further attacks.
Distrust of Western Leaders
Takht-Ravanchi also criticized European leaders for supporting U.S. and Israeli actions. He called their approach “ridiculous,” arguing that if they really cared about peace, they would condemn aggression against Iran, too.
He also brushed off calls from Israeli leaders for the Iranian people to overthrow their government, saying Iranians would stand united against foreign threats—even if they have their own criticisms of the government.
Looking Ahead: A Choice Between War and Peace
For now, a ceasefire with Israel is holding, though Iran remains skeptical about whether it will last. Qatar and other Gulf countries have tried to ease tensions and prepare the ground for talks, but the path forward is uncertain.
Iran insists it does not want a war. But it also refuses to give up what it sees as its right to enrich uranium and develop its own nuclear program. The U.S., meanwhile, has suggested more strikes could come if Iran continues pushing ahead.
What happens next depends on whether both sides can set aside threats and build enough trust to actually sit down and talk. Until then, the risk of another round of violence remains high.
Final Thoughts
The standoff between Iran and the U.S. has reached a dangerous point. Iran says it wants dialogue, but demands an end to military attacks first. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to pressure Tehran over its nuclear program.
If both sides can pause the aggression and start real negotiations, there might be hope for avoiding a bigger conflict. But if the cycle of strikes and threats continues, the road ahead looks uncertain—and potentially violent.
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