Iran will not hold talks with US unless Israeli attacks stop: Araghchi

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated that there will be no talks with the United States until Israel’s ongoing aggression ceases. In an interview with Iran’s state news agency IRNA, he said, “The Americans have repeatedly sought talks and sent messages. But we have clearly stated that no talks will take place until Israel’s aggression stops. The U.S. is directly involved in this crime, so talks with them are not possible now.” This information was reported by the BBC.

Meanwhile, the Israel-Iran conflict has entered its eighth day. In this situation, on Friday (June 20), Araghchi is set to hold face-to-face talks in Geneva with foreign ministers of European countries. This will be Iran’s first direct diplomatic discussion with the Western world since the beginning of the Israel-Iran conflict.

The foreign ministers of the U.S., France, and Germany will attend the meeting. The UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy is also traveling to Geneva and will participate in the talks. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is also expected to join the meeting.

In a statement, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the main goal of these talks is to permanently prevent Iran from pursuing its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said, “This is the time to stop the horrific situation in the Middle East. This tension benefits no one.”

Earlier, in a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lammy said, “Iran will never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.” They discussed a long-term diplomatic solution regarding Iran’s nuclear program and expressed hope that a solution can be found within the next two weeks.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said in a White House press briefing that he will decide within two weeks whether the U.S. will get militarily involved in the Iran-Israel conflict.

He said, “There might be talks with Iran, or there might not be. We are watching the situation. But I can say this — Iran is in big trouble and they want to come back to the negotiating table.”

Earlier, some international media claimed that Trump had approved a military strike on Iran, but the final decision had not been made yet. However, on Thursday, he denied these reports and said, “I might do it, or I might not. No one knows what I want to do.”