Iran’s UN Ambassador Rejects ‘Unconditional Surrender’ as Path to Negotiation

Monday, 30 June 2025 6:55 AM

Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations Amir Saeid Iravani (file photo)

Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations asserted that “unconditional surrender” cannot be considered negotiation, emphasizing the futility of engaging in talks with the US if they continue to dictate conditions to Iran.

“Negotiation has its principles, and it is a give-and-take process. So we should engage in the negotiation and discuss with each other, maybe we reach a conclusion or not, but the unconditional surrender is not negotiation,” Amir Saeid Iravani said in an interview with CBS News television channel on Sunday.

“If they are ready for negotiation, they will find us ready for that, but if they want to dictate to us, it is impossible for any negotiation with them.”

Iravani also reiterated that Iran will not halt uranium enrichment by any means.

The Iranian diplomat clarified that, although International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors in Iran remain secure, they are currently prohibited from accessing any nuclear sites in the country as their activities have been temporarily halted.

“They are in Iran and are in a secure situation, but their activities have been suspended. They are not allowed to access our sites. They have not performed their duties,” he said.

Iravani also noted that It is possible that some individuals, on a personal level, may hold the opinion that they should criticize the Agency or even make threats against its Director-General Rafael Grossi.

“However, our criticism is directed at the Agency itself. We assess that they have not fulfilled their duties and have paved the way for such aggressions against us.”

The Iranian foreign minister says the UN Security Council should recognize Israel and the US as the initiators of the aggression against the country.

Israel launched an unprovoked war of aggression against Iran on June 13, assassinating senior military commanders and top nuclear scientists in targeted strikes before attacking nuclear and military sites and residential areas.

The Iranian Armed Forces responded with 22 waves of missile strikes as part of Operation True Promise III, which targeted numerous strategic sites across the Israeli-occupied territories.

Ultimately, isolated and abandoned, the Israeli regime announced a unilateral ceasefire through US President Donald Trump in the early hours of June 24.