Iranian Foreign Minister: Received a "private message" from the U.S. President's special envoy, but it does not mean negotiations.

[Xinhua Micro Report] Iranian Foreign Minister Aragchi said in an interview broadcast by Qatar’s Al Jazeera on March 31 that he received a message from U.S. President Trump’s envoy Witkov, but that does not mean Iran is negotiating with the United States. Claims that any side between the U.S. and Iran is negotiating are not true.

During the interview with Al Jazeera, Aragchi said, “As before, I received a message from Witkov directly, but that does not mean we are negotiating.” He stressed that claims about any side negotiating with Iran are not true: “All information is conveyed or received through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and there is communication between security agencies.”

Aragchi said that Iran and the United States have never had a “pleasant experience” in negotiations. Iran reached an agreement with the United States years ago, but the United States withdrew from the agreement. “We do not believe there will be any outcome from negotiations with the United States; at present, the level of trust is zero,” he said. “We cannot see any sincerity.”

The agreement Aragchi referred to is the Iran nuclear deal reached in July 2015 between Iran and the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany. Under the Iran nuclear deal, Iran committed to limiting its nuclear program, and the international community lifted sanctions on Iran. The United States unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018, and subsequently restarted it and added a series of sanctions on Iran. After Trump returned to the White House in 2025, the United States and Iran have held multiple indirect negotiations.

Iranian President Pezeshkian said on March 31 that the United States does not trust diplomacy; it is merely “seeking to issue orders to carry out its greedy ambitions.” During negotiations with the United States, Iran was attacked, and this has happened twice.

U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth said at a press conference on March 31 that the United States hopes to reach an agreement with Iran to end the fighting and “open” the Strait of Hormuz, and that it has already prepared for “negotiations during bombing.”

Regarding reports that the U.S. military may launch a ground offensive against Iran, Aragchi responded on March 31 that the Iranian side is “waiting for them.” “We are very clear about how to defend ourselves. During ground operations, we can even do better.” (End) (Bao Xuelin)