oreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that in the event of an open aggression by the United States, American military bases in West Asia will be targeted.
“If the US strikes Iran, we will attack American bases in the region as they are accessible targets,” Araghchi said on the sidelines of the 17th edition of the Al Jazeera Forum in the Qatari capital Doha on Saturday.
He made clear that Tehran will not attack neighboring countries’ soil, and will only strike where American bases are located.
Araghchi noted that the Iranian Armed Forces are fully prepared to respond decisively at any moment to any hostile action.
The top Iranian diplomat said that the Islamic Republic has consistently stated that its missile program is not up for negotiation, as it is a purely defensive matter beyond the scope of any talks.
He also said that Iran has an inalienable right to enrich uranium, and the process should persist, emphasizing that even military attacks have been ineffective in eliminating Iran’s capabilities.
Araghchi also categorically rejected the idea of zero-percent uranium enrichment, stating that the issue is outside the scope of negotiations.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Araghchi pointed to the new round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, which concluded in the Omani capital Muscat a day earlier.
He described the negotiations as a “good beginning,” but cautioned that a long path lies ahead to build trust.
The Iranian foreign minister further said that the talks with the US were indirect and were limited solely to the nuclear issue.
Tehran has repeatedly stressed that any agreement lacking tangible economic benefits would be of no practical value, making the timing and outcome of the negotiations especially important for Iran.
On the nuclear front, Iran insists on its legal right to enrich uranium on its own soil, describing the issue as a red line in the talks. From Tehran’s perspective, any potential technical measures can only be considered within a framework that recognizes this right, and any preconditions beyond it would be seen as a sign of bad faith by the other side.
Iran had held five rounds of talks on a replacement for the 2015 nuclear deal prior to the US-Israeli airstrikes on the country and its nuclear facilities in mid-June.
Press TV’s website
