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Iran in no rush to engage with US, deputy foreign minister says

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 3, 2025

Saeed Khatibzadeh, head of the Center for Political and International Studies at Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that Tehran is not rushing to engage with the United States, and that if the US continues its aggressive stance against the Islamic Republic, Iranians will be prepared to respond strongly.

In an interview with China's Phoenix Television, which was published by IRNA's Persian service on Sunday, Khatibzadeh expressed Iran's reluctance to enter into any indirect engagement with the United States without adequate guarantees for productive negotiations.

"If the US has no red lines for attacking the peaceful nuclear sites of other countries, then they have no red lines for anything else. We must stop the United States. We need to teach them that they cannot recklessly and violently attack the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries," said Khatibzadeh who is also deputy foreign minister.

The diplomat added, "Israel is not a party we consider as a partner, as we do not recognize Israel as a country."

Addressing the future of cooperation between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he confirmed that Tehran intends to continue its collaboration with the agency, and that in the coming weeks, inspectors will return to Iran. They left voluntarily, and Iran did not expel them, he added.

He pointed to Iran's peaceful nuclear activities, noting that the country's 60% enriched uranium was under IAEA supervision.

"We have been doing this from the beginning under the continuous oversight and control of the IAEA. This is just another indication of Iran's peaceful nuclear activities. Everyone knows that 60%, up to 60%, is for non-military purposes," he explained.

According to the official, Iran is committed to its responsibilities within the international community as it is a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the IAEA.

He further dismissed the perception that the future of the West Asia region is dominated by Israeli and American hegemony, emphasizing the need for a stable region, which hinges on the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Khatibzadeh highlighted Iran's efforts to coordinate with allies to thwart the objectives of spy agencies such as Mossad and the CIA.

Khatibzadeh also reiterated Iran's longstanding position as an advocate for peace, saying that for several centuries, Iran has not started a war against anyone.

As the geopolitical landscape continues to evolve, Iran's stance remains focused on maintaining peace and sovereignty while navigating complex international relations, he concluded.

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