Iran has stated its willingness to engage in negotiations with the United States, but only under conditions that do not involve the "maximum pressure" strategy implemented by Donald Trump. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that "the lifting of sanctions requires negotiations, but not within the framework of a 'maximum pressure' policy, because it would not be a negotiation but a form of surrender."
Araghchi's statement follows a declaration by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who advised the government against negotiating with the US, deeming such an approach "reckless." Khamenei's stance is rooted in Iran's past experiences with negotiations with Washington. In 2015, Iran reached a significant agreement with the US, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, and Russia to regulate its nuclear program in exchange for the easing of international sanctions. However, in 2018, Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from this agreement and reimposed stringent sanctions on Tehran, despite European opposition.
Trump recently called for a "verified nuclear peace agreement" with Iran, asserting that Iran "cannot have a nuclear weapon." Iran maintains that its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes and denies any aspirations to develop atomic weapons. Despite this, Trump reinstated his "maximum pressure" policy, with Washington imposing financial sanctions on entities and individuals accused of exporting Iranian crude oil to China. Araghchi clarified that "Iran does not want to negotiate with a country that is simultaneously imposing new sanctions."