TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that the Israeli regime was forced to end its 12-day war of aggression against Iran “out of desperation” and with no preconditions, following a wave of Iranian retaliatory strikes that inflicted severe damage across the occupied territories.

Speaking during a nationally televised interview, Araghchi addressed a wide array of developments surrounding the recent conflict, including the role of the United States and Europe, the status of nuclear negotiations, Iran’s decision to suspend cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, and his diplomatic engagements in Geneva and Istanbul amid the hostilities.

Araghchi revealed that it was the Zionist regime that first reached out to request a halt to Iranian operations in exchange for ceasing its own attacks. However, Iran rejected any form of negotiated ceasefire or reciprocal arrangement.

“Iran never entered into any talks regarding a ceasefire,” he clarified. “A ceasefire implies mutual agreement and negotiation. What occurred was a unilateral cessation of aggression by the enemy once it realized the cost of continuing the war.”

He warned that any future violation by the Zionist regime would be met with a decisive response. “Our military command is fully prepared to retaliate,” he said.

Araghchi reiterated that Iran had not engaged in any form of negotiation with Israel or its allies to end the war, calling the Israeli aggression “completely unprovoked and unlawful.”

“We do not accept the concept of a ceasefire when it implies negotiation or compromise,” he said. “There was no negotiation. The aggressor was forced to stop after our response altered the balance.”

He added that Iran harbors serious doubts about Israel’s willingness to adhere to its own declared halt in aggression, citing the regime’s past behavior in Gaza and Lebanon, where ceasefires were routinely violated.

“But Iran is not Lebanon,” he warned. “Any breach of the current calm will be met with an immediate and powerful response.”

‘Status of U.S. talks under review’

Turning to Iran’s nuclear negotiations with the United States, Araghchi said the path forward remains uncertain. The sixth round of indirect talks, which was scheduled to take place in Muscat, was disrupted by Israel’s attack on Iran on June 13.

“Whether we return to talks depends solely on our national interests,” he said. “Even before the war, the Americans were increasing pressure on Iran based on false claims about nuclear weapons. There are currently no ongoing negotiations, and the U.S. president’s statements are not to be taken seriously.”

‘Iran’s strike on U.S. base in Qatar: a message to Washington, not Persian Gulf states’

Addressing Iran’s missile strike on a U.S. military base in Qatar—carried out in retaliation for American airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites—Araghchi clarified that the strike was directed solely at the United States.

“I told our Arab neighbors in advance that if the U.S. attacks us, we will have no choice but to respond—and that response may target U.S. military infrastructure based in your countries,” he said. He emphasized that Iran had no intention of targeting any Arab state and that this message was conveyed directly to all six PGCC foreign ministers.

“Our policy remains one of peaceful neighborly relations with all countries in the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and beyond,” he stressed.

‘Iran showed resistance against a coalition of global powers’

Araghchi described the 12-day war as a historic moment in Iran’s revolutionary struggle, saying it marked a “resistance against a coalition of global powers.”

“Iran was attacked by two nuclear-armed states—the U.S. and Israel—under the political and logistical support of European governments,” he said. “Their objective was to break Iran’s resolve and force a surrender after decades of resistance. They failed.”

‘Iran is now reevaluating commitment to NPT’

On the legal front, Araghchi accused the Israeli and American attacks of undermining the very foundation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which Iran has long abided by.

“Nuclear-armed states have failed to meet their disarmament obligations and have instead expanded their arsenals,” he said. “Meanwhile, non-nuclear states like Iran, who have complied with the rules, are punished and restricted.”

He added that Iran’s continued commitment to the NPT is under review, based solely on national interests. “There is nothing sacred in foreign policy,” he said. “Only the rights and interests of the Iranian people determine our course of action.”

‘We warned Europe against snapback mechanism’

Araghchi issued a stern warning to the European signatories of the JCPOA—France, Germany, and the UK—who have threatened to invoke the deal’s “snapback” mechanism to reinstate UN sanctions.

“Triggering snapback would be Europe’s biggest historical mistake,” he said. “It would permanently remove Europe from the Iranian nuclear equation. Just as the U.S. damaged prospects for talks by launching attacks, Europe will also sabotage its role through such actions.”

‘IAEA Chief Grossi barred from entering Iran’

Iran has also barred Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), from entering the country in response to the agency’s recent resolution accusing Tehran of non-compliance—a resolution backed by the U.S. and the European troika and passed just one day before Israel’s assault began.

The Iranian Parliament subsequently passed a bill suspending cooperation with the IAEA, which has since been approved by the Constitutional Council.

“The resolution provided political cover for Israel’s aggression,” Araghchi said. “The IAEA has lost credibility, and Grossi is not welcome in Iran for now.”

Finally, Araghchi said Iran is moving forward with a legal and diplomatic effort to hold Israel and the United States accountable for the war.

The Foreign Ministry’s Department of International Affairs, along with the Presidential Office’s Legal Department, has begun compiling evidence of human and material losses to present at the United Nations. The goal is to formally designate the aggressors and demand reparations.

“This process is complex and will take time, but it is already underway,” Araghchi said, noting that the initiative had been specifically endorsed by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh has also confirmed that the case for reparations is being actively pursued.