Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani said the United States could evaluate its own interests separately from those of Israel in ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, Larijani addressed the current state of Iran–U.S. talks, noting that the negotiation process is continuing and that regional countries are also working toward a successful outcome.
Referring to a letter he said he delivered to Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi to be conveyed to Washington, Larijani stated that Iran has not yet received an official response from the United States.
“The U.S. can assess its own interests separately from Israel’s interests in the negotiations,” he said.
The comments come as talks are set to resume in Geneva on the 17 February between Iranian and U.S. delegations.
Nuclear issue and red lines
Larijani said Iran remains open to cooperation in the talks, pointing to former President Donald Trump’s frequently stated objective that Iran should not obtain nuclear weapons.
“That is a common point Iran does not oppose. We were in favour of negotiations before and we are now,” he said.
However, he stressed that the talks should not be prolonged and warned that certain issues are not open for discussion.
“The missile issue concerns Iran’s national security and will not be included in the negotiations. Any topic outside the nuclear issue would derail the process,” Larijani said.
On uranium enrichment, he argued that a country possessing nuclear technology cannot be expected to accept zero enrichment.
“For example, 20% enriched uranium is necessary for medical purposes,” he said.
Position on possible conflict
Addressing the possibility of failed negotiations and a potential U.S. attack, Larijani said he did not believe Washington was seeking a new war, but warned of consequences if force were used.
“We are not seeking war, but we are prepared. If they use force against us, they will receive a response,” he said.
He also accused Israel of attempting to sabotage the negotiations.
“We are negotiating with the U.S., meanwhile, Israel is trying to intervene and sabotage the talks. Today our biggest enemy is Israel,” he said.
Larijani further claimed that Israel is pursuing an adventurist role in the region and attempting to create a pretext for war. He said Iran is ready to cooperate with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Türkiye to ensure regional stability in response to Israel.
Impact of recent tensions
Commenting on the 12-day confrontation between Iran and Israel, Larijani said Israeli intelligence networks inside Iran were not as strong as portrayed, though he acknowledged that some security lapses had occurred.
“We dealt serious blows to spy networks and increased security measures,” he said.
He added that Israeli attacks had led to greater national unity within Iran, describing it as “an important gain.”
Netanyahu calls for dismantlement
Speaking separately at the annual Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had told Trump that any agreement must go beyond limiting enrichment.
“There should be no enrichment capability. Not stopping the enrichment process, but dismantle the equipment and the infrastructure that allows you to enrich in the first place,” Netanyahu said.
He added that any deal must ensure enriched material leaves Iran and expressed scepticism about Tehran’s reliability.
“I expressed my scepticism of any deal with Iran because, frankly, Iran is reliable on one thing. They lie and they cheat,” Netanyahu said.
Nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, which were suspended in June 2025 following Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran, resumed in Oman on 6 February.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei previously said that negotiations in Muscat ended with both sides agreeing to continue discussions.
The talks have taken place amid renewed tensions between Tehran and Washington and an increased U.S. military presence in the region.
U.S. forces say they have completed strikes on Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with missile attacks on an American b...
Türkiye and Syria plan to increase annual bilateral trade to $5 billion within the next two years, officials from both countries said on Tuesday, as ...
As global diplomatic dynamics continue to evolve, the European Union is reassessing its ability to respond effectively to major international developm...
Uzbekistan plans to create a National Geological Data Bank and expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) across the mining sector as part of effo...
Azerbaijan is considering new restrictions on children's use of social media, including a minimum registration age of 16 and fines for platforms that ...
U.S. forces say they have completed strikes on Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with missile attacks on an American base in Jordan, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between the two sides.
Türkiye and Syria plan to increase annual bilateral trade to $5 billion within the next two years, officials from both countries said on Tuesday, as they seek to deepen economic ties and support Syria's recovery.
As global diplomatic dynamics continue to evolve, the European Union is reassessing its ability to respond effectively to major international developments, prompting renewed debate over defence coordination, foreign policy decision-making and institutional reform.
Uzbekistan plans to create a National Geological Data Bank and expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) across the mining sector as part of efforts to attract $30 billion in investment by 2030.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry says 19 citizens have been repatriated following a deadly drone attack on two cargo ships in the Sea of Azov on 5 June.
A Sudanese man has been arrested over a knife attack in Belfast that left a man seriously injured and prompted calls online for a protest after footage of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Iran and Israel said on Monday (8 June) they had halted attacks on each other following an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump, as Axios reported that Trump had privately told Benjamin Netanyahu “be careful, or you will be on your own very soon”.
Ukraine's military said it struck a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker in the Black Sea as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt Moscow's energy and logistics networks. The move underscores Kyiv's focus on targeting maritime assets it says are used to bypass sanctions on Russian oil exports.
Armenia’s parliamentary election has strengthened Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s mandate, with analysts linking the result to his post-Garabagh agenda and pro-Western direction. However, constitutional constraints remain a key obstacle to peace efforts with Azerbaijan.
Türkiye and Syria plan to increase annual bilateral trade to $5 billion within the next two years, officials from both countries said on Tuesday, as they seek to deepen economic ties and support Syria's recovery.
Uzbekistan plans to create a National Geological Data Bank and expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) across the mining sector as part of efforts to attract $30 billion in investment by 2030.
Azerbaijan is considering new restrictions on children's use of social media, including a minimum registration age of 16 and fines for platforms that fail to protect young users. The proposals form part of a broader global trend towards tighter regulation of online platforms.
The European Union’s proposed 21st sanctions package against Russia could affect companies in Central Asia, including firms in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as Brussels moves to tighten controls on sanctions circumvention.
Da Afghanistan Bank, the country's central bank, has discussed expanding banking and trade relations with the Afghanistan–U.S. Joint Chamber of Commerce as the country seeks to strengthen financial services for traders and support private sector growth.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment