Araghchi Rejects Ultimatum, Signals Imminent Proposal
Feb 20 — Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran will present a draft proposal for a nuclear agreement to the United States within days, even as President Donald Trump threatens military action if talks fail.
In an interview with MSNBC’s Morning Joe aired Friday, Araghchi said he would soon share a proposed framework with US envoy Steve Witkoff after securing final approval from Iranian leadership. “In the next two or three days, that would be ready,” he said.
However, Araghchi rejected claims that Washington had issued an ultimatum. “There is no ultimatum,” he stated, adding that both sides seek a swift agreement. He also said US negotiators had not demanded zero uranium enrichment, contradicting repeated public statements from Trump and other American officials.
Talks Continue as Military Posturing Intensifies
The remarks followed a second round of Oman-mediated talks held Tuesday in Geneva. Earlier discussions took place on February 6 in Oman, marking the first negotiations since last year’s brief Iran-Israel war, during which US forces struck Iranian nuclear sites.
Trump warned Thursday that Iran had up to 15 days to reach a deal or face potential US strikes. Washington continues to push for zero enrichment and limits on Iran’s ballistic missile programme and regional activities.
Meanwhile, the United States has deployed two aircraft carriers, including the USS Abraham Lincoln and the Gerald Ford, to the region. In response, Iran conducted naval drills in the Gulf and near the Strait of Hormuz.
Western nations accuse Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons, while Iran insists its programme serves civilian purposes only.
