Meet the Press – Summary of Interview with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi
On Meet the Press, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi laid out Iran’s position on both diplomacy and war, centering on Tehran’s seven‑day proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He said Iran has already delivered the plan through mediators and is still waiting for Washington’s official response.
“Why are they rejecting this?”
He explained that Iran is ready to reopen the Strait if the United States ends the war, releases frozen Iranian assets, and allows Iran to sell its oil. He emphasized, “We want to END this war.” Araghchi framed these conditions as obligations Washington previously agreed to respect, not new demands.
He also repeated his criticism of U.S. negotiating behavior, saying Iran has no reason to trust Washington after two rounds of diplomacy that were followed by military strikes. As he put it:
“In 2025 they offered negotiations, we accepted, then in the middle of negotiations they attacked us. Eight months later, again they offered negotiations, again we accepted, and again they attacked us in the middle of negotiations ... there is no reason we should go back to diplomacy.”
Despite this, Araghchi said Iran is still pursuing diplomatic channels because it “shouldn’t miss any chance for peace.”
“We have no reason to come back to diplomacy and engage with this administration once again because of their behavior.”
Asked about reports that President Trump expects to resume bombing after the U.S. midterms, Araghchi said Iran is fully prepared and has adjusted its military posture after previous duplicity from the US.
“We stand firm in the face of any new aggression, even if it comes to a Doomsday War.”
Throughout the interview, Araghchi portrayed Iran as ready for both outcomes — diplomacy if Washington accepts the seven‑day plan, and war if the conflict escalates. He said Iran does not care about U.S. domestic politics, insists its leadership is united, and defended Iran’s 60% enrichment level as part of its national strategy.
Simply put: Iran is ready for diplomacy, and Iran is ready for war…as it should be when dealing with the US.
