Iran’s FM Signals Willingness to Hold De-Escalation Talks

(MENAFN) Iran's top diplomat signaled a willingness to negotiate Saturday, even as military exchanges between Tehran and Washington intensified, with Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi dismissing any prospect of regime change as futile.

Speaking exclusively to NBC News, Araghchi described domestic support for Iran's government as an insurmountable barrier to outside interference. "You cannot do regime change while millions of people are supporting the so-called regime," he said.

The remarks came shortly after U.S. strikes on Iranian territory, during which President Donald Trump publicly urged members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, armed forces, and police to surrender their weapons in return for immunity — and called on ordinary Iranians to "take over the government."

Despite the escalating hostilities, Araghchi drew a sharp distinction between Iran's ongoing strikes on U.S. military installations across the Middle East and any intent to target American civilians on home soil — a nuance widely interpreted by analysts as an implicit offer to negotiate.

The foreign minister acknowledged a complete breakdown in direct communications between the two governments but left the door open for resumed dialogue. "There is no communication right now," Araghchi told media, "But if Americans want to talk to us, they know how they can contact me. We are certainly interested in de-escalation."

He placed full responsibility for the current conflict on Washington while reiterating that Iran had no desire to see it continue. "This is a war of choice by the United States, and they have to pay for that," Araghchi added. "But as far as we are concerned, we don't want war."

MENAFN01032026000045017169ID1110804693