Iran’s Foreign Minister Sends ‘Message’ to Trump During Joe Scarborough Grilling

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned President Donald Trump that the country will “reciprocate” in kind whether he chooses the “language of force” or the “language of respect” in a Friday interview on Morning Joe as speculation grows that the president is “weighing” an imminent attack.

The remarks come as the US has accelerated its military build-up in the Middle East, even as negotiators from Washington and Tehran reported incremental progress during talks in Switzerland over Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme.

Tehran has warned the United Nations secretary-general that any US bases used to launch potential attacks would be treated as legitimate targets in the event of an attack. Meanwhile, American forces have expanded their regional footprint, including the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

In an exclusive interview with MS NOW’s Morning Joe on Friday host Joe Scarborough said that, although he may not admit it, Trump regularly watched the show and prompted Araghchi to send a message to “the president and members of Congress.”

The minister replied:

Well, the message is that previous U.S. administrations, even the current U.S. administration, have tried almost everything against us: a war, you know, sanctions, snapback, you know, everything. But none of them worked.

If you talk with the Iranian people, with the language of respect, we respond with the same language. But if they talk to us with the language of force, we would reciprocate with the same language. I think Iranians have proved to be very proud people. We only respond to the language of respect and this is the way that they can talk to us, and they would see the result.

Before this, Scarborough grilled Araghchi for more details on how the talks with the Trump delegation, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, about the nuclear program had gone and whether Iran would ever respond to the “maximalist position of permanent suspension” demanded by the U.S.

“Well, I think the speculations that you just made are not true. We are now working with each other,” the minister replied.

“Which one?” Scarborough asked.

“Both of them,” Araghchi said. “We have not offered any suspension, and the U.S. side has not asked for zero enrichment.”

The host, stunned, pressed him on what was being asked of Iran. Araghchi replied: “What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear program, including enrichment, is peaceful and would remain peaceful forever and in return and, you know, Iran, you know, does some confidence-building measures to ensure that its program would remain peaceful and in return, sanctions.”

The minister denied that there was an “ultimatum” from the U.S. on Iran’s counteroffer, despite reports of a two-week deadline, but insisted that a “fast” and a “win-win deal” was what both parties wanted.

“We are doing our job,” he continued. “I hope that those who are seeking war and want to drag the United States into an unnecessary and disastrous war once again, I hope they won’t prevail and let us diplomats work with each other and find the diplomatic solution, which I believe is at our reach and can be achieved in a very short period of time.”

Watch above via MS NOW.

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