Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has described the intense pressure faced by Tehran's negotiating team during talks with the United States, saying they conducted discussions under the constant threat of military action. In an interview with Mehr News Agency, Araghchi recalled telling US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, that Iranian negotiators lived with the fear that any meeting or phone call could be their last. He said the atmosphere surrounding the negotiations reflected the broader tensions between the two countries during the conflict.

According to Araghchi, he asked Witkoff whether he had ever participated in negotiations while believing the meeting could be bombed at any moment or while worrying that a routine phone call to family members might be the last. The Iranian minister said such conditions shaped Tehran's approach to diplomacy, arguing that Iranian officials negotiated despite facing persistent military threats from the United States and Israel. He presented these remarks as an illustration of the pressure under which Iran's negotiating team operated.

Araghchi also defended Iran's stance during the nuclear negotiations, saying Tehran refused to accept what he described as an "illegal and unreasonable" demand for zero uranium enrichment. He claimed Iran remained firm throughout the talks and alleged that when negotiations failed to produce the outcome sought by Washington, the conflict escalated into military action. The foreign minister maintained that Iran would not change its position through threats or incentives, insisting that disputes should be resolved through dialogue rather than coercion.

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Rejecting suggestions that military pressure could force Iran into submission, Araghchi argued that the country's political structure differs significantly from that of Venezuela. Referring to the US-backed operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this year, he said Iran's system is built around multiple centres of decision-making rather than a single individual. According to Araghchi, removing one leader would not lead to the collapse of the Islamic Republic or force Tehran to alter its policies.

The comments come as tensions between the United States and Iran remain high despite earlier ceasefire efforts. According to US Central Command, American forces launched another wave of strikes targeting what it described as Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian media reported explosions in several cities, including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini, although independent verification of the reported strikes was not immediately available.

Iran has also announced retaliatory military actions, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming responsibility for strikes on what it described as enemy positions in Syria's Al-Tanf area. Iranian state media additionally reported drone attacks targeting US military assets in Kuwait, including facilities at Al-Adiri camp and Ali Al Salem Air Base. As military exchanges continue and casualties rise, diplomatic prospects remain uncertain, with both sides maintaining sharply contrasting narratives over the conflict and the future of negotiations.

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