Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that a deal with the US is within reach, but only if diplomacy is given a priority.
Araghchi’s declaration came in a series of posts on social media, ahead of the next round of nuclear talks with the US, scheduled to take place in Geneva on Thursday.
“Pillared on the understandings forged in the previous round, Iran will resume talks with the US in Geneva with a determination to achieve a fair and equitable deal-in the shortest possible time," he wrote.
“Our fundamental convictions are crystal clear: Iran will under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon; neither will we Iranians ever forgo our right to harness the dividends of peaceful nuclear technology for our people," stressed Araghchi.
He further wrote, “We have a historic opportunity to strike an unprecedented agreement that addresses mutual concerns and achieves mutual interests. A deal is within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority."
“We have proven that we will stop at nothing to guard our sovereignty with courage. We bring the same courage to the negotiating table, where we will pursue a peaceful resolution to any differences," concluded the Iranian Foreign Minister.
While talks with Iran are set to continue, President Donald Trump has not ruled out the possibility of strikes on Iran should talks fail.
On Tuesday, as part of a broad deployment by the US military in the Middle East, a squadron of approximately 12 F-22 Raptor aircraft was deployed to Israel.
Ahead of his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, Trump told TV anchors during a meeting that Iran wants to make a deal with the United States but refuses to state that it will give up its intentions to develop nuclear weapons.
“Iran wants to make a deal more than I do, but they just say the sacred phrase, we won’t build nuclear weapons," the President told the anchors, as quoted in The Hill.
On Monday, Trump rejected reports that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, had warned him against going through with a strike on Iran.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump also denied reports that he was considering limited strikes on Iran, and warned the Islamic Republic once again that if it does not make a deal, “it will be a very bad day" for them.