Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has sent a resolute message of strength and determination to the United States and Israel amid relentless aggression from the enemies of the Islamic Republic.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with NBC News from Tehran on Thursday, Araghchi firmly rejected any notion of fear regarding a potential US ground invasion, emphasizing Iran’s readiness and confidence in defending its sovereignty.
“No, we are waiting for them,” he said when asked if he was afraid of a possible US ground invasion. “Because we are confident that we can confront them, and that would be a big disaster for them,” he added.
NBC REPORTER: "Are you afraid of a US invasion of your country with ground troops?"
— COMBATE |🇵🇷 (@upholdreality) March 5, 2026
Iran FM Araghchi: "No, we are WAITING for them."
REPORTER SPEECHLESS pic.twitter.com/DC1MxfCXiX
Araghchi underscored that Iran’s armed forces have prepared for every scenario, positioning the nation to turn any such offensive into a catastrophic setback for the aggressors.
The comments come amid a widening war against Iran that began with sweeping US and Israeli aggression on Saturday. Araghchi noted that Iran has not sought a ceasefire and remains committed to resisting illegal aggression.
“We Don’t Seek Ceasefire”
Reflecting on past confrontations, Araghchi pointed to the 12-day war in June, when ‘Israel’ and the US targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities. “We didn’t ask for a ceasefire even last time,” he said.
“In the previous time, it was Israel who asked for a ceasefire… after 12 days that we resisted against their aggression.”
Araghchi also addressed a US-Israeli terrorist strike on a primary school in Minab in southern Iran, where 171 children were martyred.
He attributed full responsibility to the US and Israeli militaries. “This is what our military said. So it is either the US or Israel. What is the difference?” he questioned, condemning the attack as a grave violation against civilians.
The top Iranian diplomat expressed deep disillusionment with negotiations, citing repeated betrayals by the current US administration.
🚨🇮🇷 BREAKING ✦ — ARAGHCHI:
— ✦✦✦ 𝙿𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚑𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚜 ✦✦✦ (@PamphletsY) March 6, 2026
"US Failed to Achieve Main Goal"
"They wanted a clean, rapid victory. "
"They failed to achieve that, and now they are trying to justify why they did attack us." pic.twitter.com/bSepCRvrSm
Just last Thursday, Araghchi had been engaged in talks in Geneva with President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The sudden onset of attacks during those discussions has eroded any trust.