Iran has ruled out holding direct talks with Washington as long the latter’s policy of applying “maximum pressure” on Iran—recently revived by U.S. President Donald Trump—remains in place.
“We will not negotiate under pressure, threat, or sanctions,” Araghchi said in remarks cited by Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency.
“Therefore, there will be no possibility of direct negotiations between us and the United States on the nuclear issue as long as ‘maximum pressure’ is enforced in its current form.”
The United States on Feb. 24 imposed a fresh round of sanctions on Iran’s oil industry, the country’s primary source of revenue.
Earlier this month, Trump revived his “maximum pressure” approach to Iran, which he had applied throughout much of his first term in office. The policy entails a range of measures aimed at reducing Iranian oil exports to zero, with the aim of stopping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
However, Trump said he was still open to engaging in talks with Tehran, voicing a willingness to meet with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
During his first term, Trump withdrew the United States from a seminal 2015 deal that had sought to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
After withdrawing from the the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement, Trump reimposed sanctions on Iran, dealing a fresh blow to the country’s economy.
Along with Iran and the United States, the JCPOA was originally signed by Russia, China, France, the UK, and Germany.
Speaking alongside Lavrov in Tehran, Araghchi said Iran would “coordinate” its position on future nuclear talks with its “friends in Russia and China.”
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, inviting the wrath of most Western capitals, it has drawn increasingly close to Iran and China.
In mid-January, Moscow and Tehran signed a 20-year strategic partnership agreement.
While the deal does not include a mutual defense clause, it enjoins both parties to work in tandem to counter perceived external military threats.
Lavrov: Still Room for Diplomacy
Speaking in Tehran, Lavrov did not rule out a diplomatic solution to the JCPOA issue, saying he and Araghchi had spoken “at length” about Iran’s nuclear program.“We are convinced that diplomatic resources have not yet been exhausted and should not be disregarded,” Lavrov told reporters.
“They must be used effectively, without threats or hints of military solutions,” he said, according to Russia’s TASS news agency.
Lavrov also stressed that Moscow and Tehran remain committed “to continuing efforts to find mutually acceptable solutions to get out of the current situation.”
At the news conference, Lavrov also said that he had briefed Iranian officials on the outcome of landmark Russia–U.S. talks held in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Feb. 18.
“I shared our assessments of recent contacts with our American colleagues, including on this issue,” he said, referring to the JCPOA and Iran’s nuclear program.
On Feb. 18, top U.S. and Russian officials—including Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio—held lengthy discussions in Saudi Arabia.
Later described by both sides as productive, the talks were largely devoted to finding a way to end the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine.
He also thanked Iran for what he described as its “neutral position” regarding the conflict—a position that he attributed to Tehran’s “understanding of the root causes of the crisis.”
Lavrov’s one-day visit to the Iranian capital was preceded by a similar trip to Turkey and followed by a visit to Qatar on Feb. 26.
