Iranian National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani said Monday that Iran “will not negotiate with the United States.”
Referring to a Wall Street Journal story, which said “Larijani’s initiative to resume talks with Washington presented through intermediaries from the Sultanate of #Oman,” Larijani turned to X to say: “We will not negotiate with the United States.”
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—Ali Larijani | علی لاریجانی (@alilarijani_ir) March 2, 2026
US President Donald Trump also said Sunday that Iran’s new leaders had let him know they wanted to talk to him and that he was willing to do so, but Larijani’s post appeared to contradict that. The New York Times reported.
“Negotiation is a bitter experience for us”
Responding to a question from an ABC journalist (whether a negotiated agreement with the United States was still possible), Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran has always been open to negotiations, but has encountered attacks.
“Well, answer this question. We negotiated with the United States twice in the last 12 months, and in both cases, they attacked us in the middle of the negotiation, and that has become a very bitter experience for us,” Araghchi said.
Araghchi noted that in June last year, when negotiations were taking place between the United States and Iran, the Israeli military attacked Iran. “A deal was within our reach and we left Geneva happy with the understanding that we will be able to reach an agreement the next time we meet.”
“And it was very unfortunate that those who are against peace, against diplomacy, against negotiation, when they understood that diplomacy was going well, they decided to ruin it and created a build-up in the media, against the Islamic Republic of Iran… And they made many accusations against us. They made, they created false information and disinformation. And finally they got to what they wanted. They dragged President Trump, they convinced President Trump to attack us without provocation or justification.” he added.
Araghchi also told NBC that no country’s leader has the right to tell Iran not to respond to the type of attacks carried out against it by the United States. His remarks came after Trump warned Iran not to retaliate.
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“Iran just declared that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than ever before. HOWEVER, THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE,” he wrote on Truth Social.
