Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Iran is not seeking a ceasefire or negotiations with the United States, declaring that Tehran is prepared to defend itself “as long as it takes” in the ongoing conflict.

In an interview with CBS News aired Sunday, Araghchi rejected claims that Iran had requested an end to hostilities.

“We never asked for a ceasefire, and we have never asked even for negotiations. We are ready to defend ourselves as long as it takes,” he said.

The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran would continue its military response until Donald Trump recognises what he described as an “illegal war with no victory.”

“We don’t see any reason why we should talk with Americans, because we were talking with them when they decided to attack us, and that was for the second time,” Araghchi added.

Addressing the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes, he said Iran had not formally closed the waterway.

“This is up to our military to decide, and they have already decided to let a group of vessels belonging to different countries pass,” he said.

On the nuclear issue, Araghchi reiterated that Iran has never sought to develop nuclear weapons. He said Tehran had previously agreed to dilute enriched uranium during negotiations with Washington before the attacks.

However, he said those materials were now buried under rubble after strikes damaged Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“Everything is under the rubble,” he said, adding that Iran currently has no plans to recover the enriched uranium stockpiles from the affected sites.

Earlier, Araghchi also claimed that Iran has information suggesting the United States and Israel launched attacks from certain locations against Arab states in West Asia.

He said Iran was ready to meet with regional governments and establish a joint committee to investigate the origin of those attacks, stressing that Iranian strikes were aimed only at US bases and interests in retaliation.