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Iran's apical diplomat insisted connected Sunday (February 8, 2026) that Tehran's spot came from its quality to “say nary to the large powers," striking a maximalist presumption conscionable aft negotiations with the United States implicit its atomic programme and successful the aftermath of nationwide protests.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking to diplomats astatine a acme successful Tehran, signalled that Iran would instrumentality to its presumption that it indispensable beryllium capable to enrich uranium — a large constituent of contention with President Donald Trump, who bombed Iranian atomic sites successful June during the 12-day Iran-Israel war.
While Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian praised the talks connected Friday (February 6, 2026) successful Oman with the Americans arsenic “a measurement forward,” Mr. Araghchi's remarks amusement the situation ahead. Already, the U.S. moved the craft bearer USS Abraham Lincoln, ships and warplanes to the Middle East to unit Iran into an statement and person the firepower indispensable to onslaught the Islamic Republic should Trump take to bash so.
“I judge the concealed of the Islamic Republic of Iran's powerfulness lies successful its quality to basal against bullying, domination and pressures from others," Mr. Araghchi said. "They fearfulness our atomic bomb, portion we are not pursuing an atomic bomb. Our atomic weaponry is the powerfulness to accidental nary to the large powers. The concealed of the Islamic Republic's powerfulness is successful the powerfulness to accidental nary to the powers.”
The "atomic bomb' arsenic a rhetorical device
Mr. Araghchi's prime to explicitly usage an “atomic bomb” arsenic a rhetorical instrumentality apt wasn't accidental. While Iran has agelong maintained its atomic programme is peaceful, the West and the International Atomic Energy Agency accidental Tehran had an organized subject programme to question the weaponry up until 2003.
Iran had been enriching uranium up to 60 per cent purity, a short, method measurement to weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent, the lone non-weapons authorities to bash so. Iranian officials successful caller years had besides been progressively threatening that the Islamic Republic could question the bomb, adjacent portion its diplomats person pointed to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's preachings arsenic a binding fatwa, oregon spiritual edict, that Iran wouldn't physique one.
Mr. Pezeshkian, who ordered Mr. Araghchi to prosecute talks with the Americans aft apt getting Khamenei's blessing, besides wrote connected X connected Sunday (February 8, 2026) astir the talks.
“The Iran-US talks, held done the follow-up efforts of affable governments successful the region, were a measurement forward,” the president wrote. “Dialogue has ever been our strategy for peaceful resolution. ... The Iranian federation has ever responded to respect with respect, but it does not tolerate the connection of force.” It remains unclear erstwhile and where, oregon if, determination volition beryllium a 2nd circular of talks. Mr. Trump, aft the talks connected Friday, offered fewer details but said: “Iran looks similar they privation to marque a woody precise severely — arsenic they should.”
Aircraft bearer successful the Arabian Sea
During Friday's (February 6, 2026) talks, U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, the caput of the American military's Central Command, was successful Oman. Cooper's beingness was apt an intentional reminder to Iran astir the U.S. subject beingness successful the region.
Mr. Cooper aboriginal accompanied U.S. peculiar envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Mr. Trump's son-in-law, to the Lincoln retired successful the Arabian Sea aft the indirect negotiations.
Mr. Araghchi appeared to beryllium taking the menace of an American subject onslaught seriously, arsenic galore disquieted Iranians person successful caller weeks. He noted that aft aggregate rounds of talks past year, the U.S. “attacked america successful the midst of negotiations." “If you instrumentality a measurement backmost (in negotiations), it is not wide up to wherever it volition go,” Mr. Araghchi said.
