Iran says nuclear talks with US possible if trust is restored

Iran’s foreign minister said on Sunday that the door remains open to meaningful nuclear negotiations with the United States if trust can be rebuilt, while cautioning that any military conflict would spread across the wider Middle East.

Speaking in an interview with CNN International, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran is less worried about the prospect of war itself than about the risk of miscalculations driven by misinformation and external pressure on Washington to confront Tehran.

Araghchi said Iran no longer trusts the United States as a negotiating partner, but added that regional countries are acting as intermediaries to convey messages and help rebuild confidence between the two sides.

He described the current exchanges as “fruitful” and said they could help lay the groundwork for more substantive negotiations in the future. According to Araghchi, the substance of any talks matters more than whether discussions are conducted directly or indirectly.

Referring to US President Donald Trump’s stated aim of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, Araghchi said Tehran shares that objective. He said a new round of talks could be possible if the US negotiating team adheres to Trump’s stated goal of reaching a fair and balanced agreement that ensures Iran does not develop nuclear arms.

In return, Araghchi said, Iran expects the lifting of sanctions. He rejected any attempt to broaden negotiations to include Iran’s ballistic missile program or its regional allies, describing such demands as unrealistic.

On the possibility of war with the United States, Araghchi warned that a conflict would be disastrous for all sides. He said the widespread presence of US military bases across the region would inevitably draw multiple countries into any confrontation.

Araghchi also said Iran has learned from its previous conflict with Israel and has tested its missile capabilities in real combat, giving it a clearer understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. However, he stressed that preparedness does not signal a desire for war, reiterating that Iran wants to prevent conflict.

Addressing concerns raised by Trump over detainees in Iran, Araghchi denied there were plans to carry out executions linked to recent unrest and said the rights of all detained individuals would be respected and protected.