_1769607909.webp)
Iran has firmly rejected any negotiations with the United States while Washington continues to issue military threats, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on January 28, 2026, following remarks by US President Donald Trump that left open the possibility of military intervention over Iran’s deadly crackdown on nationwide protests.
Speaking in televised comments, Araghchi stated that diplomacy cannot succeed under the shadow of coercion. “Conducting diplomacy through military threat cannot be effective or useful,” he said. “If they want negotiations to take place, they must certainly set aside threats, excessive demands and raising illogical issues.”
Araghchi also denied recent contact with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, stressing that “Iran has not sought negotiations.” The statement came as the US deployed a naval strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln into Middle Eastern waters, a move confirmed by US Central Command (CENTCOM) without specifying the exact location. The deployment has heightened regional tensions.
The remarks follow Trump’s refusal to rule out the use of force in response to Iran’s violent suppression of protests that began in late 2025. Analysts note that US options reportedly range from limited strikes on military facilities to targeted operations against leadership, aimed at destabilizing the Islamic Republic’s system established after the 1979 revolution.
Amid the standoff, Iran has intensified diplomatic outreach to Arab states allied with the United States. President Masoud Pezeshkian held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, while Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani met Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Qatar stated it supports “all efforts aimed at reducing escalation and achieving peaceful solutions in a manner that enhances security and stability in the region.”
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty also engaged separately with Araghchi and Witkoff, urging both sides to “ease tensions and work towards de-escalation” and create conditions for dialogue.
Human rights groups continue to document a severe crackdown on the protests. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported on January 28, 2026, that it has verified 6,221 deaths linked to the unrest, including 5,856 protesters, 100 minors, 214 security personnel, and 49 bystanders. HRANA said it is still investigating an additional 17,091 possible fatalities. The group also documented at least 42,324 arrests, with security forces conducting ongoing raids, searching hospitals for wounded protesters, detaining doctors accused of aiding demonstrators, and broadcasting forced confessions on state television.
“These developments highlight new dimensions of the continued security crackdown in the aftermath of the protests,” HRANA stated.
In a separate development, Iran carried out the execution of a man arrested in April 2025 on charges of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. Rights organizations have reported at least 12 executions on similar espionage charges since last year and expressed concern that some arrested protesters could face capital punishment.
The escalating situation has drawn international attention, with calls for de-escalation from regional powers and renewed scrutiny of Iran’s protest response and the United States’ military posture in the Middle East.
