ALWAGHT- Iran’s security chief says Tehran is pursuing negotiations while maintaining deterrence against any act of aggression.
Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Tehran is not seeking war but will not yield to threats, stressing that Iran relies on a dual approach of negotiations and deterrence. He said Iran is prepared for fair talks on its peaceful nuclear program while safeguarding national security, rejecting pressure-driven demands and insisting that defensive deterrence is non-negotiable.
Larijani said recent contacts in Oman involved an exchange of views rather than formal responses, as preparations continue for indirect Iran–US talks. He emphasized that negotiations must be limited strictly to the nuclear issue, noting that Iran’s missile program falls outside the talks. Tehran, he added, accepts International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring only within the framework of the NPT and rejects calls for zero enrichment as unrealistic.
He warned that escalating tensions could lead to a wider war that would harm all sides, while noting regional opposition to military action against Iran. Larijani said Iran views talks with Washington as constructive if they are fair, even as US President Donald Trump has intensified threats and military deployments following the June 2025 conflict, which Iran says it brought to a halt through retaliatory action.
