Iran says US talks held under threat of military strikes

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has revealed that high-level talks with the United States were conducted under the constant threat of military strikes, as a fragile ceasefire between the two nations broke down this week amid a new wave of regional attacks. Araghchi made the remarks in an interview published on July 19, 2026, detailing tense diplomatic exchanges with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff even as conflict escalated.

Araghchi said he asked Witkoff during their discussions whether the American diplomat had ever negotiated while believing the entire meeting could be bombed at any moment. He described the atmosphere as deeply hostile but insisted Iran refused to be intimidated. "We stood our ground. You have to talk. You can't threaten us and you can't bribe us," Araghchi said. He also asserted that Iran would not collapse under pressure, stating, "Iran is not Venezuela," in an apparent reference to past U.S. actions there.

The diplomatic channel, which Iran maintains was informal, reportedly involved multiple rounds of mediated discussions in locations including Muscat, Rome, Geneva, Islamabad, and Doha over several months. These contacts culminated in a digitally...