Iran Ready to Reach Nuclear Agreement as US Deploys Multiple Fighter Jets
Tehran (ANTARA) – Several senior Iranian officials on Tuesday (24 February) affirmed Iran’s willingness to reach a nuclear agreement with the United States, whilst Washington continues to escalate its military posture in the Middle East by deploying advanced fighter jets.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Iran is determined to achieve an agreement that is “fair and equitable” with the US as soon as possible.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Araghchi said both parties have a “historic opportunity” to forge an unprecedented agreement addressing shared concerns and achieving mutual interests, adding that an agreement can be reached if diplomacy is prioritised.
The comments came ahead of the third round of indirect nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington, scheduled for Thursday (26 February) in Geneva. Two rounds of indirect negotiations have already been held this month, focused on Iran’s nuclear programme and the possibility of lifting US sanctions.
On the same day, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht Ravanchi also said Iran is ready to do “whatever is necessary” to reach a nuclear agreement with the US.
“We want to do whatever is necessary for this agreement to be realised. We will come to the negotiating room in Geneva with sincerity and good faith,” Ravanchi told NPR radio in an interview.
“We hope that our good faith and positive approach will be reciprocated by the American side, and if there is political will from all parties, I am confident an agreement can be reached as soon as possible,” he said.
Meanwhile, during a meeting in Tehran with Armenia’s Defence Minister Suren Papikyan on the same Tuesday, Iran’s Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh reaffirmed the country’s strong determination to defend itself.
He said Iran does not want war, “but if war is imposed on this country, Iran will defend itself strongly and deliver an unforgettable lesson to its enemies.”
The statement came after exercises conducted by Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) along the southern Iranian coast, according to Iran’s semi-official news agency Fars, on Tuesday (24 February).
Iranian forces practised “strong defence” scenarios against the country’s coastline and islands, with special operations units of the IRGC Army conducting operations to prevent enemies from approaching Iran’s southern coast.
The exercises took place amid continuing escalation of US military capabilities in the Middle East, with several media reports indicating that US President Donald Trump is considering launching pre-emptive strikes against Iran.
Also on Tuesday (24 February), Israeli media reported that eleven US F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets had landed at an air base in southern Israel, as part of Washington’s regional military build-up against Iran.
The world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, en route to the Middle East, has arrived in the Mediterranean Sea. The vessel will join the strike group of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier and other guided-missile destroyers already positioned near Iran.
Earlier on Monday (23 February), Trump denied media reports stating that US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine had warned against attacking Iran.
In a social media post, Trump said if there were a decision to conduct military operations against Iran, “in his (Caine’s) view, it would be something easily won.”