Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that Iran is ready for a ground invasion of the country by the United States, as the war between Iran, the United States and Israel has spread rapidly across the region. He also rejected any negotiations with the United States and said Iran had not called for a ceasefire.
Araghchi spoke with “NBC Nightly News” host Tom Llamas in a video interview from Tehran as American and Israeli bombs continue to hit the country.
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His comments came after the US and Israeli militaries launched a wide-ranging attack on Iran on Saturday, which decimated the country’s military defenses and killed the country’s highest authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
When asked if he feared a possible American ground invasion, Araghchi adopted a defiant tone.
“No, we are waiting for them,” he said, adding: “Because we are confident that we can confront them, and that would be a big disaster for them.”
Araghchi also said Iran has not called for a ceasefire, despite US and Israeli attacks across the country.
“We didn’t even ask for a ceasefire last time. On previous occasions, it was Israel that called for a ceasefire. They called for an unconditional ceasefire after 12 days in which we resisted against their aggression,” he said, referring to the 12-day war last June, when the Israeli and American militaries attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Last Thursday, Araghchi was in a very different place, negotiating a possible deal with President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Geneva.
The attack in the middle of the negotiations has irritated Iran in any future talks, Araghchi said, adding that he had had no communication with Witkoff or Kushner since last week.
“The fact is that we don’t have any positive experience in negotiating with the United States. You know, especially with this administration. We negotiated twice last year and this year, and then in the middle of the negotiations, they attacked us,” Araghchi said.
He added: “So we see no reason why we should engage once again with those who have done so, who are not honest in negotiations, and who do not do so and do so in good faith.”
Araghchi had a gloomy outlook on the outcome of the current conflict.
“There is no winner in this war,” Araghchi said. “Our victory is being able to resist against, you know, the illegal targets, you know, and this is what we have done so far. So they have not achieved their objectives, and we have been able to resist against them, confront the most powerful army in the world, as they claim, along with, you know, the Israelis, who also claim to have the great army.”
