Iran has issued a sharp warning to the United States, saying it would target American military bases across the Middle East if Washington launches an attack on Iranian territory. The warning came from Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi amid renewed tensions and tentative diplomatic contacts between the two long-time adversaries.
Speaking in an interview whose excerpts were shared on his official Telegram channel on Saturday (February 7), Araghchi said Iran would respond decisively to any US military action. “There is no possibility of attacking American soil if Washington attacks us, but we will attack their bases in the region,” he said, according to AFP.
Araghchi also reiterated Tehran’s long-held position that its missile programme is not up for discussion. “Missiles are never negotiable because they are a defence issue,” he said, drawing a clear red line ahead of any future talks with Washington.
Nuclear Enrichment Declared An ‘Inalienable Right’
On Iran’s nuclear programme, the foreign minister insisted that uranium enrichment remains a sovereign right. “(Nuclear) enrichment is our inalienable right and must continue. Even with bombing, they could not destroy our capabilities. We are ready to reach a reassuring agreement on enrichment,” Araghchi said, signalling conditional openness to diplomacy while rejecting pressure or threats.
His remarks come a day after US and Iranian officials held two rounds of indirect talks in Muscat, Oman, focused on Tehran’s nuclear activities. The discussions marked the first formal diplomatic engagement between the two sides since June 2025, when US President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Iranian nuclear sites during the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict.
US-Iran Talks Resume In Oman
According to reports, the talks were initially planned for Turkey but were shifted to Oman at Iran’s insistence, with regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey excluded. Axios reported that US and Iranian officials may have also held brief direct interactions, though neither the White House nor the US State Department confirmed this.
Araghchi said no date has yet been fixed for the next round of negotiations, but both sides agree talks should resume soon. “At present, no specific time has been set for the second round of negotiations, but we and Washington believe that these negotiations should be held soon,” he said.
However, he cautioned that deep mistrust continues to cloud the process. “The prerequisite for any dialogue is refraining from threats and pressure,” Araghchi said, even as President Trump has repeatedly warned of military action if Iran does not agree to a new nuclear deal.
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