Why it matters:
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US President Donald Trump's foreign envoy, Steve Biegun, were engaged in the 5th round of indirect negotiations mediated by Oman when the IAEA Board of Governors issued a resolution against Iran based on the IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi's baseless report prepared by Israel. Meanwhile global community was awaiting the next round of talks between Tehran and Washington, scheduled for June 15, 202,5, when Israel launched a series of unprovoked aggressions, which suspended the political process.
The big picture:
Iran says that due to experiences from previous diplomatic engagement with the EU and U.S. will not re-enter talks under the same framework. The U.S. has reportedly requested new rounds of negotiations, but Tehran insists any such talks must reflect the current security realities of the region, particularly concerning Israel and the U.S. 12-day imposed war on Iran.
What he's saying:
A senior Iranian political official, on the condition of anonymity, has told Press TV: “We believe the goal of these talks is to disarm Iran to compensate for Israel’s weakness in the next war,” the Iranian source said, adding that “Our information indicates that the U.S. wants negotiations for war, not peace.”
“If that’s the case, we’re not interested in wasting our time or others’. We’d rather focus our energy on preparing for war.”
Key points:
- Iran will not participate in talks based on previous terms, calling them ineffective and deceptive.
- Tehran demands serious and practical guarantees to prevent any talks from becoming a cover for a future military operation.
- Iran is skeptical of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff’s role, saying it needs clear proof he is a mediator, not a “catalyst for conflict.”
- Despite serious doubts, Iran is willing to hear out the U.S. one last time, but only if practical steps are taken.
- Key preconditions for new talks are addressing Israel’s nuclear weapons and WMD programs, and credible punishment for Israel and compensation for Iran.
Go deeper:
The source warned that without accountability for Israel’s expanding arsenal and without regional balance, any new negotiations will be viewed as a ruse. “No one in the region will accept disarmament while such a bloodthirsty regime grows more heavily armed each day,” he said.
He added that the U.S. now faces a credibility crisis: “This is America’s problem. We don’t know how they plan to solve it.”
محمود مجدی
