Published: 12:41, January 1, 2026
Iran open to 'genuine, serious' talks with US
By Xinhua
Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi speaks during a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein (not in the photograph) in Baghdad on Oct 13, 2024. (PHOTO / AFP)

TEHRAN - Though it does not fear war, Iran "has never sought a conflict" with the United States, and is open to "genuine and serious" negotiations, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday.

He made the remarks on X a day after US President Donald Trump threatened Iran with a major military strike if it resumed its ballistic missile or nuclear weapons programs.

ALSO READ: Iran: Missile program aimed at defending national sovereignty ‘non-negotiable’

Noting that Iran has never sought conflict with the US, Araghchi said Iran's armed forces remain fully prepared to respond to any aggression with decisive measures.

"Our restraint, which should not be mistaken for weakness, is the only reason American military installations in our region remained intact," he said, adding that "Iranians do not shy away from genuine and serious negotiations aimed at achieving a fair and balanced agreement on issues of mutual interest."

Though Iran and its people do not seek nuclear weapons, Iranians would never give up on their "lawful rights," he said.

Araghchi noted that Washington could either continue to rely on "narratives manufactured by Israel" that "only produced instability, miscalculation, and strategic failure," or pursue a path "grounded in realism, diplomacy, and mutual respect."

READ MORE: Trump warns Hamas, Iran when meeting with Netanyahu in Florida

In a letter addressed to other countries' foreign ministers, Araghchi described Trump's anti-Iran threats on Monday as being in "flagrant violation" of international law and the United Nations (UN) Charter, according to a statement released by the ministry early Wednesday.

He said threatening to use force against Iran was in clear violation of the UN Charter, "which has banned any such threats or resorting to force against states' territorial integrity and national sovereignty," calling on his foreign counterparts to condemn recent threats and "provocative" remarks by Trump.

Tensions between Iran and the US, Israel have escalated after a series of strikes in June.

On June 13, Israel launched airstrikes on several locations in Iran, including nuclear and military sites, killing senior commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. On June 22, US forces bombed the Iranian nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan.