January 28, 2025 - 15:25 AMT
FM: U.S. or Israel on Iran's nuclear sites would be "crazy"

Iran's foreign minister has stated that any attack by the U.S. or Israel on Iran's nuclear sites would be "crazy," warning of catastrophic consequences for the region.

"This would turn the whole region into a very bad disaster," he said in an interview with Sky News, underscoring Iran's stance on its nuclear program.

The comments came as Abbas Araghchi, Iran's foreign minister, gave his first public interview since Donald Trump’s inauguration. In a pointed critique, Araghchi dismissed the former U.S. president’s "nice" suggestion of negotiating a new deal with Iran, emphasizing, "The situation is different and much more difficult than the previous time."

Speaking in Tehran, Araghchi also mocked a U.S. proposal involving Palestinian territories, countering with his own satirical suggestion: "Instead of Palestinians, try to expel Israelis, take them to Greenland so they can kill two birds with one stone."

Iran has consistently claimed its nuclear program is peaceful. However, since Trump withdrew from the international nuclear agreement, Western nations assert that Iran has resumed uranium enrichment at levels suited for nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Iran has maintained it will only consider new negotiations if significant trust-building measures are taken by the U.S.

Araghchi highlighted challenges facing Iran's regional allies like Hamas and Hezbollah, acknowledging they have been weakened but are "rebuilding themselves" due to their commitment to shared ideals.

On Tehran's streets, many Iranians expressed hope for a deal with the West that could alleviate severe economic conditions, including inflation exceeding 50%, high unemployment, and a deeply devalued currency. Despite this, achieving any agreement seems daunting, with trust between Iran and the U.S. at historic lows.