In an opinion piece published in the Financial Times, Araghchi praised US President Donald Trump's efforts in previous talks, a new indication that dialogue on Iran's nuclear program may soon resume.
Araghchi wrote: "In just five meetings over nine weeks, US envoy Steve Witkoff and I achieved more than in four years of failed nuclear negotiations with the Biden administration. We were on the cusp of a historic breakthrough."
He explained that the two sides were only 48 hours away from holding the crucial sixth meeting when Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and ballistic missile infrastructure on June 13. The air war between Iran and Israel lasted 12 days, during which Trump ordered US bombers to strike underground nuclear facilities inside Iran.
Araghchi confirmed receiving messages indicating that Washington might be willing to return to the negotiating table, but expressed skepticism about the credibility of the process. He said, "Iran remains interested in diplomacy, but we have good reasons to doubt the possibility of further dialogue. If there is a genuine desire to resolve this issue, the United States must demonstrate a genuine willingness to reach a fair agreement."
It's worth noting that the United States was a party to the comprehensive nuclear agreement signed with Iran in 2015, along with five other countries, before withdrawing from it in 2018 under Trump.
In a White House meeting on Monday evening, US President Donald Trump told reporters after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that "a date has been set for talks with Iran," adding, "They want to talk."
For his part, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff stated that the anticipated meeting could be held within the next week or so, stressing that it is still ongoing.
Trump also indicated that he would like to lift sanctions on Iran "at the appropriate time," saying, "I would like to be able, at the appropriate time, to lift those sanctions."
In contrast, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview published on Monday that he believes differences with the United States can be resolved through dialogue, hinting at an official desire within Tehran for de-escalation.
In the same context, a French diplomatic source said on Tuesday that European powers will be forced to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran if a new nuclear agreement that safeguards European security interests is not reached.
The source's statement came following a phone call between French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and his British counterpart, David Lammy, on the eve of an upcoming bilateral summit between the two sides in Paris.
