Still, he added that they have to take the first step to show that they are ready to engage with us, based on the conditions we put.

Dr. Kharrazi, stating that Iran’s nuclear program is “indigenous,” said: “It is embedded in the skills and knowledge of our scientists and engineers and cannot be removed by force.”

SCFR President rejected any suspension of uranium enrichment, saying: “We have to continue our enrichment because we need to produce fuel for our power plants as well as our medical activities. Therefore, we cannot stop enriching uranium, but the degree of enrichment can be negotiated.”

He characterized the Iranian ballistic missile programs as non-negotiable, stating: “It is only the nuclear issue that we are ready to engage with the United States and others. We are not going to negotiate with others on other issues, including our missile activities, and would not neglect whatever we can do in enhancing our capability.

Finally, Dr. Kharrazi said that in case President Trump “starts with a positive approach, certainly it would be reciprocated, and to do that, they have to refrain from using any force against Iran. They have already tried that and now understand that it’s not workable.”

The full text of the interview comes as follows:

Q: Obviously, there’s a lot of tension right now between the Trump administration and Iran.

A: And others, of course.

Q: And others. Yes. What would it take for Iran and the United States to get back to talking?

A: In theory, we have always been ready to engage in diplomatic talks, but unfortunately, President Trump does not believe in diplomatic engagement; instead prefers to use force to achieve his objectives.

Q: Would you be willing to talk again if they made a move, or would you be willing to contact them again?

A: It all depends. If it were based on mutual respect and equal footing, and the agenda were prepared in advance to ensure clarity of substance and the process of discussion, we are ready to do that.

Q: Who do you think needs to make the first move if you want to start talking? Do you think they need to come to you, or would you be willing to contact them also?

A: They have to make the first move to show that they are ready to engage with us on the conditions that we put.

Q: What are those conditions?

A: I said it has to be based on equal footing and mutual respect.

Q: What does that mean as far as Iran’s nuclear program is concerned? I know that they were apparently pretty close to a common understanding between Steve Witkoff and Dr. Araghchi. What do you need to see from the Trump administration as far as that is concerned? As far as your nuclear program is concerned,

A: The nuclear program of Iran is indigenous and cannot be removed by force, because it is embedded in the skills and knowledge of our scientists and engineers. Therefore, the only way is to negotiate how they can reach us, with you know, some new understandings.

Q: What are your red lines? As far as uranium enrichment is concerned.

A: We have to continue our enrichment because we need to produce fuel for power plants as well as for our medical activities. Therefore, we cannot just stop enriching uranium. The degree of enrichment is the question of negotiations.

Q: Do you think that there could be a common understanding there because we have also heard that they were pretty close to a sense of how it could be continued? How the US could also get a feeling that enrichment would essentially stop here through some consortium, maybe. Do you think that there could be a way to come to terms?

A: I think so, if there were genuine negotiations between Iran and the United States, there are ways and means to ensure that Iran can continue its enrichment and at the same time assure the others that it’s not going to look for nuclear weapons.

Q: You are not anywhere close to having discussions to change the fatwa against nuclear weapons, possibly? There is no discussion at all here?

A: No, the fatwa cannot be changed. And that is the fatwa of the leader of the Islamic Republic that prohibits the production and use of nuclear weapons.

Q: Is your nuclear weapons program, as we speak, intact? Is enrichment going on? Are any facilities still working?

A: Any facilities?

Q: Any nuclear facilities in Iran that are enriching and working at the moment?

A: At the moment, there are some activities, especially in the medical area, but the damages that have occurred have not yet been assessed. And the damages have to be evaluated.

Q: So Natanz and Fordow are all destroyed, and you haven’t been able to look at them yet.

A: They have been attacked, but we don’t know how much they have been destroyed.

Q: Yes. So you haven’t been able to assess that yet?

A: Not yet.

Q: Okay. One of the things that Iran prides itself on, and one of the things that’s very important to this country’s defense, is its ballistic missile program. How are you looking to enhance that program? Are you looking to expand that program? Because it is the one way that you were able to strike back at Israel when they fired at you.

A: Certainly, we have to defend ourselves. Whatever we can do in producing our missiles, indeed, we do not neglect, and that’s what I mean, weapons that we can defend ourselves and safeguard our national security.

Q: So, Iran is going to continue to expand its ballistic missile program because I know that some of the ballistic missiles are very sophisticated.

A: No question about that. And it is only the nuclear issue that we are ready to engage with the United States and others. We are not going to speak to others or negotiate with others on the other issues, including missile activities.

Q: As far as your missile program is concerned, do you have any cooperation with countries like China and Russia to help with that, or is that a completely indigenous program?

A: It is indigenous, in fact, but at the same time, there may be operations with others in terms of mechanism, devices, or any other things that we need, but it is basically indigenous in terms of producing fuel, in terms of producing the missile itself by all means.

Q: As we sit here, what is your message right now to US President Donald Trump

A: Start with a positive approach. If he were positive, certainly it would be reciprocated, but for that, they have to refrain from any use of force against Iran. They have tried that and now understand it’s not acceptable or workable.

Q: Do you fear that there could be another military confrontation between the US and Iran, or between Israel and Iran?

A: Everything is possible, but we are ready.

Q: There’s one question, if I may, that I’ve always wanted to ask since you are very close to the Supreme Leader. If there were ever a recognition of a Palestinian state, if a Palestinian state were established, if it had a territory, if it had a government, and they came to terms in the region, would you be willing to change your stance towards Israel? Whatever the Palestinians decide as a whole, you don’t object.

A: This is their life. This is their country, so it’s up to them to understand and decide what they need to do. Therefore, our support for resistance forces is merely to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion.

Q: So if they have a state and they are satisfied, then you would be okay with the existence of Israel.

A: Not with Israel

Q: But for Palestine, I mean, if a Palestinian state were to be established, and that would be the decision of all Palestinians, you’re not going to object. And then, but then you also wouldn’t seek the destruction of Israel anymore if the Palestinians say, “Look, we are okay. We’re living side by side.”

A: That is a different story. We do not recognize the Israeli state because it has been based on the occupation of others. But on the Palestinian side, if they decide to establish a state of Palestine, we do not object.

Q: Thank you very much.

A: Quite welcome.