Iran Says It Has Its 'Fingers on the Trigger' Over US Threats

Iran's government says it's open to talking, but not while the US president is promising to hit it "with great power." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in Istanbul on Friday that Tehran won't hold direct talks with Washington unless President Trump drops his public threats of military action, per the New York Times. Any dialogue, Araghchi said, must be "fair and equitable" and can't start under pressure of force. The Trump administration has demanded that Iran curb its nuclear program, restrict ballistic missiles, and stop backing allied armed groups across the region.

Araghchi was especially blunt on one key issue: Iran's missile program. "Iran's missiles and defense systems will never be the subject of any negotiations," he said, adding that he has no intention of meeting US officials face to face. "Just as we are ready for negotiations, we are ready for warfare." US officials say Trump is weighing military options, while Iran has warned it will strike back if attacked, potentially targeting American bases or US partners such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, or Israel. "Our brave Armed Forces are prepared—with their fingers on the trigger—to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression against our beloved land, air, and sea," Araghchi wrote on X earlier this week, per the AP.

The prospect of a clash has alarmed governments across the Middle East, including some that are otherwise hostile to Tehran, per the Times. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE have been urging Washington to think carefully before launching any attack and trying to nudge Iran toward talks, according to an Arab official. Few regional leaders want to see instability in Iran spill across borders and potentially trigger a wider war.

Turkey, which maintains ties with both Tehran and Trump, is positioning itself as a mediator. Speaking beside Araghchi, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Ankara rejects attempts to resolve regional disputes by force. "We defend negotiations and diplomacy," he said. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian by phone that Turkey is ready to help "ease tensions and resolve issues," and he plans to meet Araghchi. The standoff comes as Iran grapples with the fallout from recent mass protests over its struggling, sanctions-hit economy, demonstrations that authorities say have left more than 3,000 people dead—a figure that rights groups believe is significantly higher.