Iran’s Ali Larijani, senior advisor to Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, said on Friday that negotiations with the US over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear issue are not currently on the agenda and should not be rushed.
Speaking to Iranian media, Larijani emphasized that such talks should be treated as a ‘tactical tool’ rather than a strategic necessity.
“Negotiation is a tactic,” the senior advisor said. “Let the leadership decide when it is necessary. If it isn’t, then there’s no need to use it.”
Ali Larijani, advisor to Khamenei:
There is no urgency regarding negotiations; negotiation is merely a tactic.
We should allow the Leader to use this issue when he deems it necessary.
The other side has gone to war with us — they must first explain why they initiated the war… pic.twitter.com/jUImzidUf0
— The Middle Eastern (@TMiddleEastern) July 18, 2025
He added that there is no urgency for talks with the US following its war along with the Zionist entity against Iran last month, when the talks were ongoing.
“They have waged a war against us; they must first explain why,” he said.
Larijani stressed that any decision to engage in diplomacy rests solely with Imam Khamenei, who has not yet authorized negotiations.
He also slammed the idea of imposing peace through power, calling it a backward theory pushed by those trying to reshape the Middle East.
Also on Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that any new round of nuclear talks would only be possible if the other side is ready for a mutually beneficial deal, stressing that Europe should also drop threats if it wants to play a role.
The top Iranian diplomat took to X to announce that he had a joint teleconference with E3 FMs & EU HR last night.
I had a joint teleconference with E3 FMs & EU HR last night, in which I made the following points clear:
It was the US that withdrew from a two-year negotiated deal -coordinated by EU in 2015- not Iran; and it was US that left the negotiation table in June this year and chose a… pic.twitter.com/NFQdK2HZD4
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) July 18, 2025
Source: Iranian media (edited by Al-Manar)
