Iran has urged the United States to formally rule out any further military strikes if Washington seeks a return to diplomatic negotiations, Tehran's deputy foreign minister told the BBC.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi revealed that the Trump administration, via intermediaries, had expressed interest in reopening nuclear talks this week. 

However, the US has yet to provide clarity on whether it would suspend hostilities during the negotiation process—a concern Tehran considers critical.

Tensions escalated earlier this month when Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets, prompting retaliatory missile attacks from Tehran. 

The crisis deepened on 21 June when the US directly entered the conflict, bombing three of Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Takht-Ravanchi reiterated Iran’s commitment to uranium enrichment, asserting it serves peaceful research and energy needs. He dismissed allegations of a covert weapons agenda and criticized restrictions on nuclear fuel access, stating Iran had “no choice but to be self-reliant.”

He condemned any attempt to impose a total halt on enrichment under threat of force, calling such tactics "the law of the jungle." Iran maintains that while the scale and capacity of enrichment are negotiable, a complete cessation is unacceptable.

The deputy minister's comments follow 12 days of hostilities between Iran and Israel, during which the US conducted airstrikes on the Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites. 

While Iran has not disclosed the full extent of the damage, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi described it as severe, though not total. President Donald Trump, however, claimed the facilities were "totally obliterated."

Grossi also warned that Iran could resume high-level enrichment within months. Takht-Ravanchi declined to confirm that timeline. Meanwhile, Iran’s strained relations with the IAEA have worsened, with parliament voting to suspend cooperation, accusing the watchdog of siding with Israel and the US.

President Trump signaled a willingness to authorize further military action should intelligence suggest enrichment efforts near weapons-grade levels.

While no firm date has been set for a potential return to talks, Takht-Ravanchi emphasized that Tehran awaits a definitive US position on avoiding further military aggression during negotiations.

Asked whether Iran might revise its nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief and investment, Takht-Ravanchi responded bluntly: “Why should we accept such a proposal?”

Iran continues to maintain its nuclear programme—enriching uranium to 60%—is strictly for peaceful use. Under the 2015 nuclear agreement, enrichment was capped at 3.67% and prohibited at Fordo for 15 years. But after Trump withdrew from the accord in 2018 and reinstated sanctions, Tehran gradually violated its obligations, ultimately reaching near-weapons-grade levels by 2021, according to the IAEA.

Source: BBC

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