Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi yesterday said that he believes US President Donald Trump is “wise enough to make the correct decision.”
He told CNN in an interview that Tehran is not concerned about the prospect of war but remains wary of miscalculations, indicating that renewed negotiations with the US remain possible under certain conditions.
Araghchi noted that Iran has lost trust in the US as a negotiating partner but said regional intermediaries and friendly countries are working to rebuild confidence between the two sides. He added that another round of talks could take place if Washington adheres to what Trump has described as “a fair and equitable deal to ensure that there is no nuclear weapons.”
His remarks come amid heightened rhetoric between Tehran and Washington. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei recently accused the US of seeking to dominate Iran, pointing to the country’s natural resources and strategic location.
“Iran possesses numerous attractions: its oil, gas, rich minerals, and geographic location are attractive. The US wants to seize control of this country just as they controlled it before,” Khamenei said in a statement posted on social media platform X.
Meanwhile, Trump said his administration remains in contact with Iran but warned of potential escalation if negotiations fail. Speaking to Fox News on Saturday, he said, “The plan is that (Iran is) talking to us, and we’ll see if we can do something. Otherwise, we’ll see what happens,” adding that a “big fleet” was heading to the region.
The exchange highlights ongoing tensions between Iran and the US, as both sides signal contrasting approaches to diplomacy while leaving the door open to further dialogue.
Iran’s leadership yesterday warned of a regional conflict if the US were to attack it, stoking the tension between Washington and Tehran, and it designated EU armies as “terrorist groups” in a retaliatory move.
The US has ramped up its naval presence in the Middle East after Trump repeatedly threatened Iran with intervention if it did not agree to a nuclear deal or failed to stop killing protesters.
Despite the standoff between Iran’s clerical rulers and the Trump administration, both sides have signalled they are ready to resume talks, and regional allies such as Türkiye have sought de-escalation.
An Iranian official denied an earlier report by state-run Press TV that the Revolutionary Guards’ naval forces would carry out live-fire exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, telling Reuters they have no such plan and the media reports are wrong.
Khamenei was quoted on state media as saying that although Trump says he has sent ships to the region, “the Iranian nation shall not be scared by these things, the Iranian people will not be stirred by these threats”.
“We are not the initiators and do not want to attack any country, but the Iranian nation will strike a strong blow against anyone who attacks and harasses them,” he said.
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