Iran’s FM Araghchi strikes onerous line on U.S. talks, saying Tehran’s energy comes from saying ‘no’

Iran’s high diplomat insisted on Sunday (February 8, 2026) that Tehran’s energy got here from its skill to “say no to the nice powers,” hanging a maximalist place simply after negotiations with america over its nuclear program and within the wake of nationwide protests.

Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi, talking to diplomats at a summit in Tehran, signalled that Iran would follow its place that it should be capable to enrich uranium — a serious level of rivalry with President Donald Trump, who bombed Iranian atomic websites in June throughout the 12-day Iran-Israel conflict.

Whereas Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian praised the talks on Friday (February 6, 2026) in Oman with the Individuals as “a step ahead,” Mr. Araghchi’s remarks present the problem forward. Already, the U.S. moved the plane provider USS Abraham Lincoln, ships and warplanes to the Center East to stress Iran into an settlement and have the firepower essential to strike the Islamic Republic ought to Trump select to take action.

“I imagine the key of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s energy lies in its skill to face towards bullying, domination and pressures from others,” Mr. Araghchi mentioned. “They worry our atomic bomb, whereas we aren’t pursuing an atomic bomb. Our atomic bomb is the ability to say no to the nice powers. The key of the Islamic Republic’s energy is within the energy to say no to the powers.”

The “atomic bomb’ as a rhetorical gadget

Mr. Araghchi’s option to explicitly use an “atomic bomb” as a rhetorical gadget seemingly wasn’t unintentional. Whereas Iran has lengthy maintained its nuclear program is peaceable, the West and the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company say Tehran had an organized army program to hunt the bomb up till 2003.

Iran had been enriching uranium as much as 60 per cent purity, a brief, technical step to weapons-grade ranges of 90 per cent, the one non-weapons state to take action. Iranian officers in recent times had additionally been more and more threatening that the Islamic Republic might search the bomb, even whereas its diplomats have pointed to Iranian Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s preachings as a binding fatwa, or spiritual edict, that Iran would not construct one.

Mr. Pezeshkian, who ordered Mr. Araghchi to pursue talks with the Individuals after seemingly getting Khamenei’s blessing, additionally wrote on X on Sunday (February 8, 2026) concerning the talks.

“The Iran-US talks, held by the follow-up efforts of pleasant governments within the area, had been a step ahead,” the president wrote. “Dialogue has at all times been our technique for peaceable decision. … The Iranian nation has at all times responded to respect with respect, however it doesn’t tolerate the language of drive.” It stays unclear when and the place, or if, there shall be a second spherical of talks. Mr. Trump, after the talks on Friday, provided few particulars however mentioned: “Iran seems like they wish to make a deal very badly — as they need to.”

Plane provider within the Arabian Sea

Throughout Friday’s (February 6, 2026) talks, U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, the pinnacle of the American army’s Central Command, was in Oman. Cooper’s presence was seemingly an intentional reminder to Iran concerning the U.S. army presence within the area.

Mr. Cooper later accompanied U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Mr. Trump’s son-in-law, to the Lincoln out within the Arabian Sea after the oblique negotiations.

Mr. Araghchi gave the impression to be taking the specter of an American army strike significantly, as many nervous Iranians have in current weeks. He famous that after a number of rounds of talks final 12 months, the U.S. “attacked us within the midst of negotiations.” “In case you take a step again (in negotiations), it isn’t clear as much as the place it’ll go,” Mr. Araghchi mentioned.