Iran FM looks to more nuclear talks, but warns US against any attack

Iran will strike United States bases in the Middle East if it is attacked by US forces that have massed in the region, its foreign minister said on Saturday, insisting that this should not be seen as an attack on the countries hosting them.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke to Qatari Al Jazeera TV a day after Tehran and Washington pledged to continue indirect nuclear talks following what both sides described as positive discussions on Friday in Oman.

While Araqchi said no date had yet been set for the next round of negotiations, US President Donald Trump said they could take place early next week. “We and Washington believe it should be held soon,” Araqchi said.

Trump has threatened to strike Iran after a US naval buildup in the region, demanding that it renounce uranium enrichment, a possible pathway to nuclear bombs, as well as stop ballistic missile development and support for armed groups around the region. Tehran has long denied any intent to weaponise nuclear fuel production.

While both sides have indicated readiness to revive diplomacy over Tehran’s long-running nuclear dispute with the West, Araghchi baulked at widening the talks out.

“Any dialogue requires refraining from threats and pressure. [Tehran] only discusses its nuclear issue … We do not discuss any other issue with the US,” he said.

Last June, the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities, joining in the final stages of a 12-day Israeli bombing campaign. Tehran has since said it has halted uranium enrichment activity.

Its response at the time included a missile attack on a US base in Qatar, which maintains good relations with both Tehran and Washington.

In the event of a new US attack, Araghchi said the consequences could be similar.

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“It would not be possible to attack American soil, but we will target their bases in the region,” he said.

“We will not attack neighbouring countries; rather, we will target US bases stationed in them. There is a big difference between the two.”

Iran says it wants recognition of its right to enrich uranium, and that putting its missile programme on the negotiating table would leave it vulnerable to Israeli attacks.

Araghchi hoped talks with the US would resume soon, while reiterating Tehran’s red lines and warning against any American attack.

However, Araghchi also said that despite the talks in Muscat being indirect, “an opportunity arose to shake hands with the American delegation”.

He called the talks “a good start”, but added that building trust would take time. He said the talks would resume “soon”.

Read More: Trump says US, Iran held ‘very good talks’ in Oman, warns of steep consequences without deal

Trump on Friday called the talks “very good” and pledged another round of negotiations next week.

Despite this, he signed an executive order effective from Saturday that called for the “imposition of tariffs” on countries still doing business with Iran.

The US also announced new sanctions against numerous shipping entities and vessels, aimed at curbing Iran’s oil exports.

More than a quarter of Iran’s trade is with China, with $18 billion in imports and $14.5b in exports in 2024, according to World Trade Organisation data.

Araghchi also said Iran’s missile programme was “never negotiable” because it relates to a “defence issue”.

Washington has sought to address Iran’s ballistic missile programme and its alleged support for militant groups in the region — issues which Israel has pushed to include in the talks, according to media reports.

Tehran has repeatedly rejected expanding the scope of the negotiations beyond the nuclear issue.

Friday’s unprecedented talks between the two arch enemies came amid a major US military buildup in the region in the wake of Iran’s crackdown on protests that began in late December, driven by economic grievances.

The negotiations were the first since nuclear talks between Iran and the US collapsed last year following Israel’s unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran, which triggered a 12-day war.