Iran is signaling its willingness to engage in diplomatic efforts while also maintaining a stance of readiness to defend itself if necessary. On Sunday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that the nation’s resilience is rooted in its ability to withstand external pressures.

“We are advocates of diplomacy, yet we are also prepared for conflict—not because we seek it, but to ensure that others are deterred from challenging us,” Araghchi stated, as reported by Press TV, Iran’s state-operated English-language news channel.

These comments came during Araghchi’s appearance at the National Congress on the Islamic Republic’s Foreign Policy held in Tehran, just two days after Iran engaged in nuclear discussions with the United States in Oman.

According to Fox News, these negotiations in Muscat, Oman’s capital, represented the first face-to-face meetings between Iranian and American officials since the U.S. conducted strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June.

Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi before the U.S.-Iran talks in Muscat, Oman, on February 6, 2026. This meeting was documented by the Oman Foreign Ministry and Anadolu Agency via Getty Images.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry characterized the discussions as “intensive and lengthy” in a post on X, highlighting that the talks provided an opportunity for both parties to articulate their positions and address mutual concerns.

“It was a good start, but its continuation depends on consultations in our respective capitals and deciding on how to proceed,” the government account said.

It added there was broad agreement on continuing the negotiations, though decisions on timing, format and the next round will be made following consultations in the two capitals, with Oman continuing to serve as the intermediary.

Araghchi said Sunday that Iran views its nuclear program as a legitimate right and is seeking recognition of that position through negotiations.

“I believe the secret of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s power lies in its ability to stand against bullying, domination and pressures from others,” he said, according to Press TV.

“They fear our atomic bomb, while we are not pursuing an atomic bomb. Our atomic bomb is the power to say no to the great powers,” the top diplomat added. “The secret of the Islamic Republic’s power is to say no to the powers.”

A map created by Fox News shows U.S. naval vessels are positioned across key waterways in the Middle East, from the eastern Mediterranean to the Arabian Sea, as part of an expanded American military presence in the region. (Fox News / USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker)

President Donald Trump has expanded the U.S. military presence in the Middle East, deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and the USS Michael Murphy, a guided-missile destroyer.

Other U.S. naval assets, including the USS Bulkeley, USS Roosevelt, USS Delbert D. Black, USS McFaul, USS Mitscher, USS Spruance and USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., are positioned across key waterways surrounding Iran, from the eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea to the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea.