Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Financial Times on July 31 that the U.S. must agree to compensate Iran for losses incurred during July’s war as one of the conditions for resuming talks on Iran’s nuclear program. “They should explain why they attacked us in the middle of … negotiations, and they have to ensure that they are not going to repeat that [during future talks],” he said in an interview in Tehran. “And they have to compensate [Iran for) the damage that they have done.”
“The road to negotiation is narrow but it’s not impossible. I need to convince my hierarchy that if we go for negotiation, the other side is coming with real determination for a win-win deal,” he said. Araghchi said Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s special envoy, has tried to convince him that it is possible and has proposed resuming talks. But the veteran Iranian diplomat added: “We need real confidence-building measures from their side.”
“My message [to Witkoff] is not that complicated,” Araghchi said. “I said the recent aggression proved there is no military solution for Iran’s nuclear program, but a negotiated solution can be found.”
