Iran "No Longer in Contact" with U.S. Middle East Envoy
Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi disclosed the communication collapse during an interview filmed in Moscow this month, marking a significant deterioration in Tehran-Washington relations.
The Iranian foreign minister revealed he had previously engaged Witkoff in nuclear negotiations, with both parties completing five discussion rounds spanning April through June. A planned sixth session set for June 15 never materialized after Israeli forces struck Iranian territory without warning.
Israeli military operations commenced June 13 with extensive surprise raids hitting multiple Iranian locations—including atomic research centers and defense installations—resulting in fatalities among high-ranking military officers, nuclear program personnel, and non-combatants. Nine days later, American forces attacked three Iranian nuclear complexes at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.
"It was an unprovoked and illegal attack, and then the United States joined," Araghchi stated. "So it was very strange that in the middle of negotiations they decided to attack us. That became a very bad experience for us."
The foreign minister indicated that diplomatic exchanges with Witkoff persisted briefly after the 12-day military confrontation with Israel concluded. However, he noted Washington's determination to restart discussions came paired with what he termed an unacceptable negotiating posture.
"We are ready for a fair and balanced negotiated deal, but we are not ready for a diktat," he declared.
Addressing American demands that Iran halt uranium enrichment activities domestically, Araghchi invoked the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), emphasizing that signatory nations possess legitimate authority to pursue civilian nuclear applications.
"When you deprive a country of this clear right, you are in fact weakening the entire NPT," he stated.
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