Addressing a congress on foreign policy and the history of foreign relations, held in Tehran on Sunday, Araqchi said Iran has paid a heavy price to maintain a peaceful nuclear program and enrichment activities.
He underlined that no one has the right to dictate to Iran what it should or should not possess, adding that uranium enrichment is Iran’s legitimate right and an internal matter.
Araqchi added that if there are questions about Iran’s nuclear program, Tehran is prepared to provide explanations, emphasizing that the only path to address such issues is diplomacy. In this context, he recalled that Iran’s peaceful facilities have even been bombed in June 2025 but those attacks failed to achieve their objectives.
Araqchi stressed that there is no alternative to negotiations, but said talks would only yield results when Iran’s legitimate rights are acknowledged. He added that Iran is not seeking anyone’s recognition of those rights, arguing that the rights already exist and must simply be respected.
Iran is not pursuing a nuclear bomb, Araqchi reiterated, saying that Iran’s “atomic bomb” is its refusal to submit to major powers. He said rejecting coercion by powerful states is enshrined in Iran’s Constitution and remains a core principle of the country’s policies.
Araqchi said the Iranian nation’s refusal to surrender has been proven during the 12-day war in June 2025. He noted that those who had called for Iran’s unconditional surrender on the third day were, by the twelfth day, calling for an unconditional ceasefire.
The foreign minister added that the current military posture of the United States and its allies in the region does not frighten Iran, stressing that while Iran believes in diplomacy and rationality, it is also prepared for war and possesses the necessary power.
If Iran is addressed in the language of force, it would respond in the same manner, but if it is approached with respect, it would respond accordingly, he noted.
Araqchi said dignity is the foremost principle of Iran’s foreign policy, defining it as the preservation of independence and the safeguarding of the country’s national honor.