Iran has renewed its criticism of the United States but has not entirely ruled out the option of negotiation. In response to US Vice President JD Vance, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei stated, "This is not a war but sheer aggression."
Baghaei emphasized that negotiation is neither inherently good nor bad, but rather a tool to safeguard national interests. During a weekly press conference on Monday, he clarified that the Foreign Ministry follows the decisions of the Supreme National Security Council and supports the armed forces.
He also highlighted that "negotiation is a means to advance the country's interests and secure national security and diplomacy."
Regarding mediation efforts, Baghaei noted that a Qatari delegation visited Tehran on Sunday to help de-escalate tensions.
Criticism of the Nuclear Agency
Additionally, Baghaei criticized a US-European draft resolution against Iran in the International Atomic Energy Agency, claiming it is based on a politically motivated report by the agency's director, Rafael Grossi.
He argued that "it is illogical for European countries to seek a UN resolution against Iran when the 'imposed war' has complicated access to nuclear sites."
Baghaei concluded by affirming that Tehran would respond if the UN's nuclear watchdog body takes action against it.
These statements come as the United States and the "European Troika" (Britain, France, and Germany) aim to garner support from the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors to pass a resolution next week that would refer Iran to the UN Security Council for the first time in 20 years, according to Reuters.
The Board previously adopted a resolution on June 12 of last year, concluding that Iran breached its nuclear non-proliferation obligations due to its lack of full cooperation with an investigation into uranium traces found at undisclosed sites.
Baghaei's remarks follow US President Donald Trump's recent declaration that he is no longer interested in reaching an agreement with Iran, threatening to increase economic pressure on Tehran to the point of collapsing its economy.