Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated that Tehran is receiving direct communication from US President Donald Trump's envoy, Steven Witkoff, though he clarified that these exchanges do not constitute formal negotiations.
The Operative Information Center-OMM reports that Araghchi made these remarks during an interview with Al Jazeera. The minister emphasized that while messages are being received without intermediaries, the level of trust between the two nations remains at zero.
"As before, I receive direct messages from Witkoff, but this does not mean we are conducting negotiations," Araghchi said. Addressing the possibility of a US ground offensive, the minister struck a defiant tone, stating, "We are waiting for them. We know very well how to defend ourselves, and we can do it even better in a ground war. We are fully prepared for any ground attack and hope they will not repeat the same mistake."
The tension between Washington and Tehran has remained high following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump in January 2025. The regional security landscape continues to be shaped by the breakdown of previous nuclear agreements and ongoing geopolitical rivalries in the Middle East. This latest rhetoric underscores the fragile state of diplomacy as both nations navigate a period of heightened military readiness and strategic signaling.
