ISTANBUL

Iran is ready for diplomatic negotiations, the country’s foreign minister said Monday, as tension continues to rise between Tehran and Washington.

"We are ready for diplomacy, but diplomacy also has its own principles. I hope we will see results soon," Abbas Araghchi said during a visit to the shrine of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the architect of Iran’s 1979 Revolution.

“Iran’s enemies, who failed to achieve their goals,” whether through last year’s 12-day war or recent protests, “have now turned to diplomacy.”

“These same parties are talking about diplomacy today, even though Iran has always been ready for this option, provided there is mutual respect and consideration of interests,” he added.

Separately, Iran’s parliamentary National Security Commission said Iran is “at the height of its defensive power” and warned that “any threat will be met with a decisive response,” the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

The commission said “the main objective behind the US’ presence and years-long pressure on Iran is to gain control over oil resources and ensure the security of the (Israeli) Zionist regime, as the largest US military outpost in the region.”

It added that if negotiations take place, they would be “limited exclusively to the nuclear issue and conducted directly,” stressing that talks would only be acceptable if they “lead to the lifting of sanctions, reduce economic pressure on the people, and improve living conditions.”

In June 2025, Israel, backed by Washington, launched a 12-day attack on Iran that targeted military and nuclear sites, as well as civilian infrastructure, and killed senior commanders and scientists. Iran responded by striking Israeli military and intelligence facilities with missiles and drones before the US announced a ceasefire.

Araghchi’s remarks came amid heightened tensions between Iran and the US, amid the ongoing American military buildup in the region, as announced by President Donald Trump.

Trump confirmed that a large US “armada” was en route to the region, warning Iran to enter negotiations over its nuclear program or face potential military action.

In recent days, there has been intense diplomatic activity, with several regional countries – including Turkiye – intervening to ease tensions between the two nations.

* Writing by Rania Abushamala in Istanbul.