TEHRAN, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday expressed hope that his country's nuclear talks with the United States would lead to a "sustainable and negotiated" solution serving all parties' interests.
"A new window of opportunity has opened, under which we had the second round of the negotiations with the United States earlier today here in Geneva. We are hopeful that the negotiations will lead to a sustainable and negotiated solution which can serve the interests of the relevant parties and the broader region," Araghchi said at the Plenary Meeting of the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva a few hours after the talks, according to a statement of the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
He emphasized that any sustainable agreement must ensure the full recognition of Iran's legitimate rights, deliver tangible benefits, and be safeguarded against unilateral actions that undermine trust and credibility.
Araghchi reiterated that Iran does not seek to manufacture or acquire nuclear weapons, which have no place in the country's national security doctrine, saying the position is rooted in its defensive policy and reinforced by religious boundaries prohibiting weapons of mass destruction.
However, he stressed that Iran "remains fully prepared to defend itself against any threat or act of aggression," warning that the consequences of any attack against Iran would not be confined to its borders.
In an interview with state-run IRIB TV following the talks, Araghchi described the recent round as more "constructive" than the previous one in Oman on Feb. 6.
He added that the two sides had "reached a general agreement on a series of guiding principles," which will serve as the basis for moving forward and beginning work "on the text of a possible agreement." ■
