DUBAI: Washington’s current approach toward Tehran does not indicate any readiness for “equal and fair negotiations”, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday, after US President Donald Trump hinted last week at potential discussions.

Following Israel’s attack on Iran in June, which was joined by US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, attempts at renewing dialogue on Tehran’s nuclear programme have failed.

The United States, its European allies and Israel accuse Tehran of using its nuclear programme as a veil for efforts to develop the capability to produce weapons. Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only.

Tehran and Washington underwent five rounds of indirect nuclear talks prior to the 12-days-war, but faced obstacles such as the issue of domestic uranium enrichment, which the US wants Iran to forego.

“The US cannot expect to gain what it couldn’t in war through negotiations,” Abbas Araqchi said during a Tehran conference named “international law under assault.”

“Iran will always be prepared to engage in diplomacy, but not negotiations meant for dictation,” he added.

Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh accused Washington of pursuing its wartime goals with “negotiations as a show”.

Denies any ‘undeclared nuclear enrichment facility’

During the same conference, the Iranian foreign minister said the country had no undeclared uranium enrichment sites and that all of its facilities were monitored by the UN’s nuclear watchdog.

The assertion came after US media outlets, including the Washington Post and New York Times, reported that Iran had accelerated construction at a secret underground nuclear site called “Pickaxe Mountain”, or Kuh-e Kolang, near its Natanz facility.

“There’s no undeclared nuclear enrichment facility in Iran; all of our facilities are under the safeguard and monitoring of the agency,” Araghchi said during a forum in Tehran.

He added there was “no enrichment” taking place at present because the sites were damaged in the recent war.

There has been no mention of the Pickaxe Mountain site by officials or any Iranian media.

Araghchi’s remarks came ahead of a Board of Governors meeting by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting slated for later this week.

‘Fundamental review’

During Sunday’s forum in Tehran, Iranian officials warned the UN body against adopting an anti-Iran resolution.

“In case of a resolution, Iran will consider a review of its relations with the IAEA and will conduct a fundamental review,” said the deputy foreign minister.

In the aftermath of the war, Tehran suspended its cooperation with the IAEA and restricted the watchdog’s inspectors from accessing the bombed sites, accusing it of bias and failing to condemn the attacks.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2025