TEHRAN – Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, arrived in the Turkish capital on Friday with a message for Washington that was as firm as it was measured: Tehran remains open to a diplomatic resolution regarding its nuclear program, but it will not negotiate under duress, nor will it hesitate to engage in total war if the United States miscalculates again.

The visit comes at a precarious moment in West Asia. Following a violent but ultimately inconclusive war initiated by the U.S. and Israel in June, the region is bracing for the possibility of a second, more expansive confrontation.

Speaking alongside his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, Araghchi projected the confidence of a country that believes it has weathered the worst of Washington’s "maximum pressure" campaign. He dismissed the utility of American military posturing in the Persian Gulf, describing Iran’s readiness for dialogue not as a sign of weakness, but as a strategic preference that has its limits.

“If the negotiations are fair and just, Iran is ready to participate,” Araghchi said during a joint press conference. “But negotiations cannot take shape under the shadow of threats. We will by no means accept dictation and imposition.”

The diplomatic overtures in Ankara were set against the backdrop of significant hostilities in the past seven months. In June, while indirect nuclear talks mediated by Oman were nominally underway, President Donald Trump authorized a military offensive intended to dismantle the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) framework permanently. The summer campaign resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 Iranians and damaged specific nuclear facilities. However, the offensive failed to degrade Tehran’s core nuclear capabilities or force the concessions the White House had demanded, specifically regarding the dismantling of Iran's missile program and the severance of ties with regional Resistance groups.

Tehran’s ability to absorb the initial strike and retaliate with precision missile barrages against occupied territories and the largest American base in West Asia forced a cessation of hostilities after less than two weeks. Araghchi warned on Friday that the United States should not assume a second conflict would be as contained, echoing similar warnings from Iranian generals in recent days.

“We are even more prepared than before the 12-day war,” the foreign minister said. He cautioned that any future American aggression would be met with "previously unexplored options," a comment analysts interpret as a reference to closing the Strait of Hormuz—a maneuver Iranian naval forces are scheduled to practice this week—or direct targeting of American troop concentrations in the region.

The specter of renewed conflict has been compounded by recent internal unrest in Iran, which was seen as an orchestrated prelude to a second American invasion.

While the protests began over economic grievances stemming from years of U.S. sanctions, Iranian intelligence reports released this month detailed a covert operation by the C.I.A. and Mossad to hijack the demonstrations. Officials say foreign operatives injected armed provocateurs into the crowds, turning peaceful gatherings into deadly riots marked by bloodletting and destruction in several cities.

Trump had signalled in early January that he was preparing a military intervention to support the "protesters." However, Iranian security forces moved swiftly to arrest the armed elements and restore order, effectively scrapping Washington’s invasion plans, which relied on internal destabilization as a force multiplier.

With the "regime change" narrative collapsing after the restoration of order, Trump has reverted to conventional military signaling, building up naval assets in the Persian Gulf. The American president said this week that his next attack against Iran would be “far worse” if the country does not sign the deal he wants. 

The failure of the summer war to disarm Iran, combined with the neutralization of the foreign-backed riots, has left Washington with few viable military options that do not risk a regional conflagration.

During the Friday press conference, Turkey, a NATO member, firmly sided with its neighbor against the prospect of further American intervention, becoming one of the several regional countries asking the Trump administration to refrain from the dangerous escalation of tensions with Iran in recent days. 

Hakan Fidan, the Turkish foreign minister, voiced strong opposition to any military action against Tehran, warning that Israel was actively trying to drag the United States into a disastrous war to serve its own expansionist ambitions.

“Israel’s efforts have the potential to cause great harm to our region’s fragile stability,” Fidan said, adding that he had conveyed Ankara's opposition to military intervention to U.S. officials "at every opportunity."

The two diplomats emphasized that regional security must be indigenous, free from "illegitimate interventions by extra-regional powers."

Despite the bellicose rhetoric emanating from Washington, Araghchi reiterated that the door to diplomacy remains slightly ajar—provided the terms are honorable. He confirmed that the U.S. government has continued to seek contact through intermediaries, though he noted that "no plan has yet been arranged" for direct meetings.

Araghchi also drew sharp red lines. The foreign minister clarified that Iran’s defensive doctrines are non-negotiable, a position the country has maintained for decades. 

“Iran’s defensive capability and missiles will never be the subject of any negotiation,” Araghchi said, pushing back against demands Trump has been wielding since 2018. “The security of the Iranian people is not related to anyone else.”

For now, Tehran appears willing to wait, bolstering its alliances in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen—all of whom have pledged to intervene if the U.S. attacks—while offering Washington a choice: a return to fair negotiations based on mutual respect, or a conflict that Iranian officials promise will be far more costly than the last.

“I hope rationality prevails,” Araghchi said, "and those who seek to drag the region into an all-out war fail in their objectives."

Both Araghchi and the Turks struck similar positions during the foreign minister’s subsequent meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.