As the Middle East teeters on the edge of a wider conflict, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi delivers a rare and pointed message to the West in this exclusive with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. This appearance comes at a critical moment—just days after a dramatic escalation in hostilities between Israel and Iran, and amid rising concerns that the United States could be drawn into a direct military confrontation.
Tensions have surged following a series of targeted Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities, including the heavily fortified Fordow uranium enrichment plant. Iran has denounced the attacks as violations of international law and “crimes against humanity,” especially since some of the targeted locations are under the monitoring and protection of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The strikes also hit non-military areas, further inflaming Iran's anger and leading to an outpouring of condemnation from Iranian leadership.
What makes this moment especially significant is that the Israeli strikes occurred just 48 hours before a new round of nuclear negotiations was scheduled to begin—talks in which Ravanchi himself was deeply involved. Tehran sees the timing not as coincidental but as a deliberate attempt to sabotage diplomatic efforts and provoke a larger conflict.
What is happening right now in Iran?
We have been witnessing an act of aggression. A clear case of naked aggression against Iran and the Iranian people, since, 5 or 6 days ago. We were about to start a new round of talks with the Americans on Sunday. That was, 15th of June, two days before we were attacked by the Israelis in the middle of the night. They attacked residential areas. They attacked paramedics. They attacked, you know, citizens, who are just sleeping in their homes. They attacked our university professors. So, this is a crime against humanity, pure and simple.
What specific sites Israel has struck?
As I said, they have been involved in an act of aggression… They have no boundaries. They attacked everywhere. You mentioned attacking against our nuclear facilities. These are safeguarded places. It is a crime in accordance with international law, to attack a place which is safeguarded under IAEA rules. Unfortunately, the Americans and some Europeans have shielded the Israeli regime, not to be criticised at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting and also at the U.N. Security Council. So it's a shame to all those who are protecting this regime.
On whether Iran is reaching out to the US or to the Israelis to get negotiations back on track:
No, that's not true…. We are not reaching out to anybody. We are defending ourselves. Although we have always promoted diplomacy. But we cannot negotiate under the threats. We cannot negotiate while our people are under bombardment every day. So we are not begging for anything. We are just defending ourselves.
And we have an experience of eight years of war against Saddam's aggression back in 80s. And now we are defending ourselves against the Israeli regime, which is being, helped by Americans, which is being protected by Americans and some others.
On whether he thinks the US will get involved:
We don't know. If the Americans get involved directly, definitely our hands will not be tied. We will do whatever necessary to protect our people and our interests. The Americans have been collaborating with the Israelis. Although they have said it that they do not have anything to do with this conflict, which is not true. But if they decide to be engaged militarily, direct military involvement in this massacre, definitely we will do whatever necessary to protect ourselves.
And by the way, Fordow is another protected site based on IAEA rules. So that will be another instance of a crime which is being done unfortunately by Israelis and Americans, which is prohibited under international law.
Do you believe Israel’s actions are about regime change?
I don't know about their intention. Just ask them what the intention is. But we will do whatever necessary to protect ourselves. And we have the experience of, as I said, eight years of war, during Saddam's era when everybody was helping Saddam. So, you say that you should not compare Saddam and Israeli regime, but do not forget the fact that all the world were behind Saddam at that time. And we were the ones who resisted. And now there is a very strong cohesion within the Iranian society to resist aggression, to resist foreign interference in our in our domestic affairs. So you ask the people who are in Tehran, ask the embassies, ask the people who live in Tehran these days, and ask the morale of the people, and you will understand that the Iranians are behind their government because they are facing a foreign aggression which will be resisted.
What about Iran's negotiations with the US and are you aware that President Trump had a 60-day deadline?
Nobody can put any deadline on us. You know, when we negotiate something, the two sides have to agree on the timetable of the negotiations. This is point number one. Number two is that we really doubt the sincerity of the Americans in the course of five rounds of discussions that we had. We had good discussions, and at the last round, we were given some document by the foreign minister of Oman. And apparently both sides felt that that was a good document to be worked on for the next round.
But before the next round is started, two days before the next round is started, the aggression took place. So, this is a betrayal of diplomacy. This is the betrayal of our trust to Americans. We should be the ones who should criticize the way that we were treated by the Americans, not vice versa. In fact, no deadline is going to affect our way of negotiations. And then, we will do whatever necessary to protect ourselves.
Has Iran asked for access to the White House to engage in talks?
Not at all. Not at all. We are not begging for anything. What we are saying is that to stop this aggression, then we will have time to do whatever needed. As long as the aggression continues, as long as this brutality continues, we cannot think of engaging.
As I said, we were negotiating in good faith with the Americans, five rounds of negotiations. And apparently both of us were happy with the ongoing negotiations. But all of a sudden, two days before you, you tell me that he gave us a 60 day deadline. And on day 61, they attacked us. But what was about to happen on day 63? So the American president should respond to this question. If he knew that the attack was about to happen two days before the next, why did he act like this? In fact…on June 8th, Defense Department, Pentagon, briefed the president about the attack. So he didn't say anything. In fact, it is a sort of collaboration between Israelis, and Americans and a division of labor between the two.
Why has Iran surged Uranium production?
We were acting based on our rights within the NPT. We didn't have anything wrong. IAEA inspectors were present in Iran, different reports of IAEA testify the fact that we have been very straightforward in our nuclear program. So there is there is no ban on 60% enriched uranium which are being used in different places for peaceful purposes. But to use that as a pretext to use aggression against Iran, that is something that we use.
How would Iran respond if the US got involved militarily?
If the Americans decide to get involved militarily, we have no choice but to retaliate wherever we find the targets necessary to be acted upon. So that is clear and simple. Because we are we are acting in self-defense. If another country joins the fight, that is another instance for our self-defense. You do not expect Iran to not use its right of self-defense based on article 51 of the UN charter.
How are ordinary Iranians responding to the Israeli strikes?
Come to different cities in Iran and see for yourself what is the cohesion within the Iranian society in resisting aggression. Iranians have always been famous, for they are steadfast against aggression, against foreign intervention.
Do not compare Iran for any other country. I do not have any other country by name in my head. But Iran speaks for itself. You will have been in Iran before. You are familiar with the mentality of the Iranians, the different walks of life with those who are critical of the government, with those who are supporting the government. They have one voice. They resist the aggression and time will show that we are right.
Will Iran decide to become a nuclear weapon state after this attack?
We will survive, that is for sure. This is the point that I need to emphasize. The other point is that, we do not believe in nuclear weapons. There is no place in our defensive doctrine. Nuclear weapons have no place in our defensive doctrine. In fact, we believe that the world will be a better place without the nuclear weapons.
But who has the nuclear weapons in the Middle East? The Israeli regime. Who has the weapons, the most sophisticated weapons? The Americans. So they are the ones who should be responsible for all the chaos, that are going on in different parts of the world.
