2025-04-02 08:32:05 by Newsweek

By Amira El-Fekki is a Newsweek reporter based in Dubai. Her focus is reporting on politics and society in the Middle East. She has in depth knowledge of Arab communities and has covered human rights issues extensively. Amira joined Newsweek in 2025 from The Wall Street Journal and had previously worked at the Daily News Egypt. She studied journalism at the Modern Sciences and Arts University in Cairo. You can get in touch with Amira El-Fekki by emailing [email protected]. You can find her on X @afekki Languages: English. Arabic. French. Amira El-Fekki‎ Middle East Reporter Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned U.S. President Donald Trump against the use of military force on Iran over its nuclear program and said diplomacy can still work.Newsweek has reached out to the White House for comment.Why It MattersRising tensions between Iran and the U.S. have reignited concerns over the potential for military conflict. Trump has reinstated a "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran over its nuclear program, leading to toughened sanctions.Despite this, Iran has expanded its nuclear activities, saying they are for peaceful purposes only. While Trump has said he favors a diplomatic solution, Iran has ruled out negotiations under pressure. Both the United States and its ally Israel have said they could still take a military option, with Trump threatening to bomb Iran if diplomacy fails.What To KnowAraghchi said in a post on X Tuesday that "it should be clear to all that there is—by definition—no such thing as a "military option" let alone a "military solution".He stated that there is no proof to date that Iran has violated its commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed in 2015, which the U.S. withdrew from in 2018 under Trump's first administration.Araghchi said that while the U.S. president "may not like the 2015 nuclear deal," it does say that Iran "reaffirms that under no circumstances" will it "ever seek to develop or acquire any nuclear weapons."He pointed to the words of U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. She said last week that Washington's intelligence community does not believe Iran is building nuclear weapons. In this image provided Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, by Sepahnews of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, a speedboat launches a missile during the guard's drill in the Persian Gulf. Sepahnews/AP However, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Iranian state television that Iran could be forced to pursue nuclear weapons if threatened.Iran recently threatened that American forces in the Middle East would face retaliation if the U.S. launches military action against Iran, after Trump's warning of "bombing" if Tehran refuses a new nuclear deal.The U.S. has long been concerned about Tehran's nuclear ambitions, viewing them as a threat to regional and global security.Last month, Trump said he wrote to Khamenei urging nuclear talks and warning of possible military action. Iran's foreign minister confirmed that a response was sent back to Washington. He ruled out direct talks under pressure but hinted at the possibility of indirect negotiations.The U.S. issued another round of sanctions targeting Iranian weapons proliferators on Tuesday, U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said.What People Are SayingIran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on X: "Diplomatic engagement worked in the past and can still work. BUT, it should be clear to all that there is—by definition—no such thing as a "military option" let alone a "military solution". Catastrophic failures in our region which have cost prior US administrations MORE THAN 7 TRILLION DOLLARS are ample evidence."Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent: "Treasury will continue to disrupt Iran's military-industrial complex and its proliferation of UAVs, missiles, and conventional weapons that often end up in the hands of destabilizing actors, including terrorist proxies."What Happens NextWith both countries intensifying their military buildup in the region, there are growing signs of the possibility of a major conflict with global consequences. Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.\