Araghchi: European Troika No Longer Has the Capacity for Negotiations
Iranian foreign minister says Europe exhausted its credibility, as Iran and Russia reaffirm nuclear rights, strategic partnership, and resistance to Western pressure
Iran, PUREWILAYAH.COM — Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi stated that the European troika no longer has the capacity to negotiate with Iran, accusing the three European states of acting unlawfully and exhausting what little credibility they once had.
Araghchi made the remarks during a joint press conference in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, following bilateral talks focused on political, economic, security, and regional cooperation between Iran and Russia.
Araghchi: Europe Acted Illegally and Lost Its Diplomatic Standing
Araghchi said Iran’s position toward Europe is “completely clear,” stressing that the three European countries had misused the only mechanism available to them by unlawfully attempting to restore sanctions.
“The European troika no longer has the capacity for negotiations,” Araghchi said. “They had no right to invoke snapback mechanisms, yet they did so, and nothing came of it. From our perspective, this action is null and void.”
He emphasized that Iran has never abandoned diplomacy, but that past negotiations failed due to Western betrayal rather than Iranian refusal to engage.
“We never left the negotiating table,” Araghchi said. “It was the Americans who betrayed negotiations midway. What they now call negotiations is diktat, not dialogue.”
Iran Reaffirms Nuclear Rights, Rejects Western Pressure
Addressing Iran’s nuclear program, Araghchi reiterated that Iran remains committed to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) but will not renounce its legitimate rights, including uranium enrichment.
“Iran is a committed member of the NPT, but we will not forgo our rights,” he said. “Our nuclear rights include enrichment.”
He added that recent attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States and Israel have fundamentally altered realities on the ground, noting that the International Atomic Energy Agency failed to respond appropriately.
According to Araghchi, until a new inspection framework addressing safety and security concerns is established, requests by the agency must be reviewed by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Lavrov: Iran Has the Full Right to Uranium Enrichment
Lavrov affirmed Russia’s continued support for Iran’s nuclear rights, stating that Iran’s entitlement to peaceful nuclear energy, including uranium extraction and enrichment on its own territory, must be respected.
“The extraction and use of uranium for exclusively peaceful purposes is Iran’s unquestionable right,” Lavrov said, stressing that any resolution to the nuclear issue must serve the interests of the Iranian people and respect national sovereignty.
Lavrov also criticized Western disregard for multilateralism and international law, reiterating Moscow’s commitment to working with like-minded states to counter the effects of unilateral sanctions.
Strategic Partnership, Gaza, and Opposition to US Hegemony
Both ministers highlighted the deepening comprehensive strategic partnership between Tehran and Moscow, noting expanding cooperation across political, economic, defense, security, scientific, and cultural fields.
Araghchi said the two sides discussed regional issues including the Caucasus, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Gaza, as well as what he described as Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people.
He added that Iran and Russia share common positions on resisting what he called a US-imposed system of domination, warning that Washington’s doctrine of “peace through force” threatens global stability and undermines international law.
Lavrov, for his part, stated that Iran is prepared to cooperate within BRICS to counter interventionist policies and strengthen a more democratic international order. (PW)