The next is the transcript of the interview with Iranian Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on March 15, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Charlie D’Agata in Tel Aviv. We flip now to the Overseas Minister of Iran Abbas Araghchi. Good night to you, sir.
FOREIGN MINISTER ABBAS ARAGHCHI: Properly, good night to you. Thanks for having me for the second time.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure, and they’re extraordinary instances. Minister, President Trump mentioned this weekend he isn’t able to make a cope with Iran as a result of the phrases aren’t ok but. His administration is saying this warfare may final one other three and a half weeks or so. Has Iran requested for a stop fireplace?
MINISTER ARAGHCHI: No, we by no means requested for a stop fireplace, and we’ve by no means requested even for negotiation. We’re able to defend ourselves so long as it takes. And that is what we’ve finished up to now, and we proceed to do this till President Trump involves the purpose that that is an unlawful warfare with no victory. And you already know, there are, you already know, folks being killed solely as a result of President Trump desires to have enjoyable. That is what he has said–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –have enjoyable?
MINISTER ARAGHCHI: So, we’re not- sure, that is what he mentioned, that they’re sinking, you already know, ships and concentrating on totally different locations as a result of it’s enjoyable. And the Secretary of Conflict has mentioned that there’s no- no mercy, and that is truly a warfare crime. Even even saying that may be a warfare crime. So this can be a war- this can be a warfare of selection by President Trump and the USA, and we’re going to proceed our self protection.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, that could be your place, however, sir, this can be a warfare of survival in your authorities. Minister, do not you need to negotiate and attain out, both immediately or by means of a 3rd get together?
MINISTER ARAGHCHI: No, it is not a warfare of survival. We’ve got- we are- we’re, you already know, secure and robust sufficient. We’re solely defending our- our folks, from the you already know, the- this, this act of aggression. And we do not see any motive why we should always discuss with Individuals, as a result of we have been speaking with them when they- once they determined to assault us, and that was for the second time. There is no such thing as a experience- good expertise speaking with Individuals. We have been speaking. So why they determined to assault us? So what is nice if we return to speak as soon as once more?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, I need to come again to that in only a second. You are referring to the diplomacy with President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his envoy, Steve Witkoff. However simply to proceed on this, Iran is sending its drones and its missiles into your neighboring nations, American allies all through the Gulf. Earlier than the warfare, your authorities traded with them. You had relations with them. In case your authorities survives this battle, how do you return to doing enterprise with nations you are sending drones into and hitting civilian targets?
MINISTER ARAGHCHI: Properly, clearly these are the nations who’ve given their soil to American forces to assault us. So what can we do? We simply sit and watch that Individuals are- American forces are attacking us from their soil and–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –However your drones are going into civilian areas and hitting crops and accommodations and civilians–
MINISTER ARAGHCHI: No, no- no, no- no, no this isn’t the very fact. We’re solely concentrating on American property, American installations, American navy bases. Every little thing belongs to Individuals, and this can be a incontrovertible fact that they’re utilizing their soil, you already know, just- there are numerous, many examples. Simply yesterday, they, you already know, attacked our islands utilizing HIMARS artillery rockets, which is- that are low vary, you already know, rockets and so they use the territory of UAE to assault us. Some every week in the past, three F-15 jet fighters have been shot down, apparently, by a pleasant fireplace in Kuwait. However no person requested what they have been doing in Kuwait. They have been utilizing Kuwait, and, you already know, an area of a neighborly, a pleasant nation, to assault us. So it’s apparent we can not simply, you already know, stay, you already know, silent on this.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, so many of those nations are a part of CENTCOM, but- however that is the purpose is that it is going to harm your nation in the long run. However after we discuss concerning the Strait of Hormuz, which is such an necessary transit level for international commerce, you have got mentioned it’s closed to Israel and it is closed to the USA. The Monetary Occasions is reporting that European diplomats from France and Italy are speaking to your authorities about making an attempt to get secure passage for his or her ships. Are you open to restarting oil and fuel vessels going by means of there?
MINISTER ARAGHCHI: Properly, we’re open to nations who need to discuss to us concerning the secure passage of their vessels. It is dependent upon our–
MARGARET BRENNAN: You’re negotiating with France and Italy?
MINISTER ARAGHCHI: I can not point out any nation particularly, however we’ve been approached by quite a few nations who desires to have a secure passage for his or her vessels. And that is as much as our navy to determine, and so they have already determined to let, you already know, a gaggle of vessels belongs to totally different nations to go in a secure and safe. So we offer them safety to go as a result of we’ve not closed this strait. They don’t seem to be coming themselves due to the insecurity which is there, due to the aggression by the U.S.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I need to ask you once more concerning the negotiations. Iran has declared it has 440 kilos or so of nuclear materials. The place is that materials now? Who has custody of it?
MINISTER ARAGHCHI: Properly, we’ve not declared. That is verified and declared by the agency–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — That is proper.–
MINISTER ARAGHCHI: — this isn’t a secret. This isn’t a secret. You recognize, the company have mentioned in his many reviews the precise quantity of our enriched, you already know, nuclear material–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Sure. So the place is it now? Who has custody of it?
MINISTER ARAGHCHI: So, they’re, there are underneath the rubbles. You recognize, the- our nuclear amenities have been attacked, and the whole lot is underneath the rubbles. After all, you already know there may be the likelihood to retrieve them, however underneath the supervision of the company. If someday we come to the conclusion to do this, it could be underneath the supervision of the company. However in the interim, we’ve no program. We’ve got no plan to get better them from underneath the rubbles.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Am I understanding you right here? As a result of I do know that you just mentioned 48-hours earlier than the U.S. strikes occurred, you had personally supplied to President Trump’s negotiators to take that 440-kilo quantity of 60% enriched materials and to dilute it. You mentioned Iran was prepared to provide that materials away. This was within the deal that was additionally offered to Vice President Vance by Oman. Right this moment, is Iran nonetheless prepared to let go of that enriched uranium?
MINISTER ARAGHCHI: Properly, that was one of many parts of a deal that we have been negotiating with our, you already know, American interlocutors. That ingredient handled the query of Iran’s 60% enriched materials, and I said- I supplied truly that we’re able to dilute these enriched materials, or down mix them, as they are saying, into decrease proportion. In order that was a, you already know, an enormous provide, an enormous concession with a purpose to show that Iran has by no means wished nuclear weapons and would by no means need them–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Are you prepared to provide that up now?
MINISTER ARAGHCHI: Properly, there may be nothing on the desk proper now. Every little thing is dependent upon the longer term. If any time sooner or later we determine to enter into negotiation with U.S. or different interlocutors, you already know, we could determine what to placed on the desk. In the meanwhile, nothing is- nothing is on the desk.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There are not less than 4 Individuals being held at Evin Jail that we all know of, together with a journalist, Reza Valizadeh and Kamran Hekmati, a 61 yr previous man. What’s the standing of these Individuals? Are they secure?
MINISTER ARAGHCHI: Properly, if they- if the U.S. and Israel don’t assault our prisons. I suppose they’re secure.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Overseas Minister, we’re working out of time, and I can see the web goes out and in right here. I simply do need to level out you are talking to us through Zoom. The Iranian folks haven’t got open Web entry, however you do. Why?
MINISTER ARAGHCHI: Properly, I am the voice- as a result of I am the voice of Iranians, and I’ve to defend their proper. So because of this I’ve entry to web to only, you already know, have- have our voice being heard by the worldwide group. However web is closed due to the safety causes, as a result of we’re underneath the- underneath assault, we’re underneath aggression, and we’ve to do the whole lot to guard our folks. In any nation, there are, you already know, pressing measures taken for this, for the sake of warfare.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Minister, I am glad the uplink labored to speak to you proper now. We thanks in your time this morning, Face the Nation will probably be again in a minute. Stick with us.
