[Video below.] Iran’s foreign minister said Sunday that Tehran would retaliate against American military installations in the region if the United States launches an attack, while also stressing that diplomacy remains the preferred path to resolving tensions over Iran’s nuclear program. The remarks came during a CBS interview, as Washington has increased its military footprint in the Middle East.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made clear that Iran sees negotiations as the only viable route forward and dismissed the effectiveness of military pressure. He characterized Iran’s nuclear activities as peaceful and rejected what he described as unnecessary saber-rattling. “There is no need for a military buildup, and also no use in it – military force cannot exert pressure on us.”

Araghchi reiterated that uranium enrichment is, in Tehran’s view, a sovereign right under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and said Iran will not give it up. At the same time, he indicated that Iran remains willing to accept comprehensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency, including the possibility of implementing an additional protocol under specific conditions.

He argued that the country has invested too heavily in its nuclear program to retreat now, pointing to years of economic penalties and personal losses. “We have endured 20 years of sanctions. We have paid great expenses, and lost many scientists. The nuclear program is at this point a matter of dignity and pride.”

According to Araghchi, ongoing discussions are limited strictly to nuclear matters and do not extend to Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities or its regional allies. He suggested that a future agreement reached during President Trump’s administration could, in certain ways, exceed the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, given the changes in Iran’s nuclear capacity and the desire for a more streamlined framework focused on peaceful nuclear use and sanctions relief.

The foreign minister also confirmed that a meeting with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff was expected Thursday in Geneva to continue work on a draft proposal. He described the chances of advancement as promising, while noting that internal processes in Tehran are still required before any final decisions can be made.

Addressing recent military developments, Araghchi acknowledged weaknesses in Iran’s air defenses during Operation Rising Lion. However, he asserted that Iranian missile strikes inside Israel demonstrated a comparable level of air reach, claiming Iran can operate there much as Israel can inside Iran. He cautioned that American assets would be targeted if the United States joins any military action, but urged Washington to avoid that course.

“Our missiles can hit their targets in Israel. Since our missiles cannot reach US soil, if they attack, we must hit something else, such as their bases in the region. Still, why should we go to war when there is every possibility of a peaceful solution?”

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{Matzav.com}