Iran says it sees no reason to negotiate with US amid escalating conflict

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran sees “no reason to negotiate” with the United States, rejecting claims by US President Donald Trump that Iran is seeking an agreement to end the war.

In an interview with CBS News broadcast on Sunday, Araghchi said Iran remained capable of defending itself despite the escalating conflict.

“We are stable and strong enough. We are only defending our people,” he said. “We see no reason to talk to the Americans, because we were talking to them when they decided to attack us.”

Araghchi also claimed that the recent US strike on Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil export hub in the Persian Gulf, was launched from military bases located in neighbouring countries.

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Speaking to the US network MSNOW, he said Iran had monitored the attacks closely and believed missiles had been fired from locations in the United Arab Emirates.

“It has become clear that one of the missiles was launched from Ras Al Khaimah, while another was launched from a location very close to Dubai,” he said, adding that both originated from UAE territory.

On Saturday, President Trump announced that US forces had struck Kharg Island, saying all military targets there had been destroyed.

At the same time, Trump urged the international community to avoid further escalation and called on other countries to send warships to protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route through which roughly one fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.

Shipping through the strait has been severely disrupted following Iranian threats to target vessels, raising concerns about global energy supplies and pushing oil prices higher as the conflict in the Middle East enters its third week.

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