Tehran 30 December 2025

30 December 2025

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote that “Iran remains open to an agreement [with the U.S.] that is built on mutual respect and mutual interest”, stipulating: “The first step is to address the Iranian nation with a language of respect, without ifs and buts. Iran has never desired a war with the U.S.: our generals’ restraint in June – the only reason U.S. military installations in our region are still intact – proves this point. That restraint should not be mistaken for weakness or assumed to be endless”. Separately, President Masoud Pezeshkian warned: “The response of the Islamic Republic of Iran to any oppressive aggression will be severe and regret-inducing”.