Geneva Talks Confined to Nuclear Issue: Araqchi
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi ruled out any negotiation on the country’s missile or defense capabilities, stressing that the Friday talks with the Europeans in Geneva will revolve around the nuclear and regional issues.
Speaking to IRIB on Friday, Araqchi said he is going to travel to Geneva for talks about the nuclear and regional issues alone.
Iran would not hold any talks with anybody about its missile power, he stressed.
Describing Iran’s missile capabilities as an outstanding defensive factor, Araqchi said, “Our missiles are meant to defend the country and create deterrence.”
He underlined that Iran will never negotiate or compromise on its defense capabilities.
Pointing to the US’ implicit push to force Iran to hold negotiations amid the Israeli war of aggression, Araqchi said, “Let’s make it clear. We do not seek to negotiate with anybody in the current circumstances while the Zionist regime’s aggression is in progress.”
He said the Americans have sent several messages for Iran calling for negotiations, stressing, “As long as this (Israeli) invasion and aggression is not brough to a halt, there is basically no room for dialogue and diplomacy.”
Iran is exercising legitimate self-defense and such defense will not stop by any means, Araqchi underlined. “We’d not hold any talks with the US which is complicit in the (Israeli) crimes. We have had no dialogue or contact with the Americans and will not do so in the current circumstances either.”
Araqchi is going to hold a meeting with his counterparts from the European troika and the EU foreign policy chief in Switzerland today.
The meeting comes against a backdrop of the Israeli attacks on Iran.
The Zionist regime waged an unprovoked war of aggression against Iran on June 13. It carried out airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear, military and residential sites that resulted in the martyrdom of scores of top military commanders, nuclear scientists and ordinary citizens.
The Iranian military forces started counterattacks immediately afterwards. They Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Aerospace Force has carried out 16 waves of retaliatory missile strikes against the Zionist regime as of June 20 as part of Operation True Promise III.
