Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that his regime remains open to negotiations with the United States, even as President Donald Trump has threatened to take action against the regime for killing protesters.
Trump said on Sunday that a “meeting is being set up” with Iranian officials, but “we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting.”
WATCH — Trump Says Iran Leaders Called to Negotiate After U.S. Pressure:
“Iran called, they want to negotiate. I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States. Iran wants to negotiate with us,” the president told reporters aboard Air Force One.
“There seem to be some people killed that aren’t supposed to be killed. These are violent, if you call them leaders. I don’t know if their leaders are just, they rule through violence, but we’re looking at it very seriously,” he said.
“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options. We’ll make a determination,” he added.
When a CNN reporter asked if he thought Iran took his threats seriously, Trump dismissed it as a “stupid question” and replied, “Wouldn’t you say that they probably do at this point, after going through it for years with me? Being hit, Soleimani, al-Baghdadi, the Iran nuclear threat wiped out.”
WATCH — “What a Stupid Question!” Trump Lays into CNN Reporter:
Qassem Soleimani was the Iranian terrorist mastermind killed by a U.S. airstrike in January 2020 while plotting attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State, was killed by U.S. special forces in October 2019. American bombers destroyed Iran’s three major uranium enrichment sites in June 2025. All three actions were ordered by President Trump.
Araghchi told Al Jazeera Arabic on Monday that his government is prepared to respond if “Washington wants to test the military option is has tested before,” but he hoped Trump would choose the “wise option” of dialogue, instead of listening to “those trying to drag Washington into war in order to serve Israel’s interests.”
Anticipating the criticism that Iran seemed utterly helpless when the U.S. “tested” military options last summer by obliterating its uranium enrichment facilities, Araghchi claimed Iran has completed a “large and extensive military preparedness program,” and would put up a better fight this time.
“We are ready to sit at the nuclear negotiating table, provided that it is without threats or dictates,” he said.
Araghchi said he has been in contact with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, both “before and after the protests.” The regime’s official position is that the uprising was effectively put down on Sunday night, with a rash of killings conducted under the cover of a four-day Internet blackout.
Axios on Monday quoted “two sources with knowledge” who said Araghchi “reached out” to Witkoff over the weekend to reduce tensions and convince the Trump administration not to intervene on behalf of the protesters. Araghchi’s outreach reportedly included an offer to meet with Witkoff in the near future.
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