Tehran, Iran, October 12 (ANI): Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Monday that Iran remains willing to engage in nuclear negotiations with the United States but will not disregard past grievances or ignore changing realities on the ground.
Speaking amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and continuing economic sanctions, Baghaei firmly rejected the idea that diplomacy could simply return to its original starting point.
“We will never go back to square one. Can you ignore the experiences of the past two years and then say that we are back to square one? Every day that passes, we will definitely use its experience, both in terms of strengthening our own capabilities and in terms of learning from the other side’s lapses,” he said.
Baghaei emphasized that Tehran had not abandoned negotiations, describing diplomacy as an essential tool alongside national defense.
“We are so confident that we will never run away from the negotiating table and diplomacy. Diplomacy is as important to us as the battlefield and war. We will definitely use the tools of diplomacy, wherever necessary and wherever possible, to secure our interests,” he said.
However, he argued that Western military pressure, sanctions and economic measures undermined the genuine spirit of negotiations.
“The party that should be solely blamed and held accountable for this situation is the party that destroyed the negotiating table in the middle of the negotiations and continues to insist on its previous excesses. How can one claim to negotiate and be diplomatic, while they have escalated the economic war, have practically maintained the conditions of war, and then claim that they are seeking negotiations?” Baghaei asked.
Addressing Western concerns about Iran potentially withdrawing from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), Baghaei said international inaction following attacks on Iran’s peaceful nuclear infrastructure had fueled debate within the country.
“Why are they worried? There is no point in worrying. They have created this concern themselves. Self-inflicted is not a tactic,” he said.
He added that those responsible for weakening global nonproliferation norms must be held accountable.
“Those who themselves have caused the weakening of the foundations of the non-proliferation regime must answer this question; not only in Iran, but in the entire region and globally,” Baghaei said.
Responding to reports that the prewar Cairo Agreement, a framework negotiated between Iran’s foreign minister and the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), could serve as a roadmap to break the diplomatic deadlock, Baghaei indicated that the opportunity to pursue that arrangement had passed.
“The Cairo Agreement, which is now part of history, the opposing parties did not really appreciate its opportunity,” he said.
Regarding third-party mediation, Baghaei acknowledged that Russian President Vladimir Putin had discussed Iran’s nuclear situation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and subsequently with U.S. President Donald Trump. However, he reiterated the established channels for communication between Washington and Tehran.
“We have always welcomed the wonderful efforts of friendly countries; but as you know, technically and in the strict sense of the word, Pakistan and Qatar continue to play the role of mediator between Iran and the United States,” Baghaei said.
The spokesperson’s remarks come amid parallel diplomatic and political developments. Putin said during discussions that “the scope for diplomacy on Iran is far from exhausted,” describing an agreement as both possible and necessary.
Trump said the conflict with Iran would end “very soon,” either through continued military pressure or an agreement on Washington’s terms. He reiterated that “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.”
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said the United States had addressed some of Iran’s seven conditions concerning the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but Washington’s overall response remained “inadequate.” (ANI)
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