Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran will not negotiate over its missile program, calling it a strictly defensive matter.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Araghchi described Iran’s recent talks with Washington as “a good starting point,” while stressing that confidence-building will require more time, The Caspian Post reports, citing IRNA.

He emphasized that the discussions held a day earlier were indirect and confined solely to the nuclear issue.

“The issue of banning enrichment is not negotiable from Iran’s point of view,” Araghchi said, adding that uranium enrichment is Iran’s right and must continue. He noted that Iran’s nuclear capabilities had not been eliminated “even through bombing,” while also stating that Tehran is prepared to reach a reliable agreement on enrichment.

Reiterating Iran’s stance on defense, Araghchi said that neither now nor in the future would negotiations be held over missiles, underscoring that the program is defensive in nature. He added that Iran’s nuclear dossier can only be resolved through negotiations.

Commenting on a possible US attack, Araghchi warned that Iran would respond by targeting US bases in the region, while making clear that Tehran would not strike neighboring countries, drawing a distinction between military bases and regional states. He also said the possibility of war always exists and that Iran is prepared for such a scenario.

A new round of indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the United States began on Friday morning in Muscat, mediated by Oman, and concluded several hours later. During the talks, Iranian and US negotiating teams exchanged views and approaches through Oman’s foreign minister.