Transcript: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” March 15, 2026

The following is the transcript of the interview with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on March 15, 2026.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Charlie D’Agata in Tel Aviv. We flip now to the Foreign Minister of Iran Abbas Araghchi. Good night to you, sir.

FOREIGN MINISTER ABBAS ARAGHCHI: Well, good night to you. Thank you for having me for the second time.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes, and they’re extraordinary occasions. Minister, President Trump stated this weekend he isn’t able to make a cope with Iran as a result of the phrases aren’t ok but. His administration is saying this struggle may final one other three and a half weeks or so. Has Iran requested for a stop fireplace?

MINISTER ARAGHCHI: No, we by no means requested for a stop fireplace, and now we have by no means requested even for negotiation. We are able to defend ourselves so long as it takes. And that is what now we have accomplished thus far, and we proceed to do this till President Trump involves the purpose that that is an unlawful struggle with no victory. And you understand, there are, you understand, folks being killed solely as a result of President Trump desires to have enjoyable. This is what he has said–

MARGARET BRENNAN: –have enjoyable?

MINISTER ARAGHCHI: So, we’re not- sure, that is what he stated, that they’re sinking, you understand, ships and concentrating on completely different locations as a result of it’s enjoyable. And the Secretary of War has stated that there’s no- no mercy, and that is really a struggle crime. Even even saying that could be a struggle crime. So it is a war- it is a struggle of alternative by President Trump and the United States, and we’re going to proceed our self protection.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, that could be your place, however, sir, it is a struggle of survival on your authorities. Minister, do not it’s a must to negotiate and attain out, both straight or via a 3rd social gathering?

MINISTER ARAGHCHI: No, it isn’t a struggle of survival. We have- we are- we’re, you understand, secure and powerful sufficient. We are solely defending our- our folks, from the you understand, the- this, this act of aggression. And we do not see any motive why we must always discuss with Americans, as a result of we have been speaking with them when they- after they determined to assault us, and that was for the second time. There is not any experience-  good expertise speaking with Americans. We have been speaking. So why they determined to assault us? So what is sweet if we return to speak as soon as once more?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, I need to come again to that in only a second. You’re referring to the diplomacy with President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his envoy, Steve Witkoff. But simply to proceed on this, Iran is sending its drones and its missiles into your neighboring nations, American allies all through the Gulf. Before the struggle, your authorities traded with them. You had relations with them. If your authorities survives this battle, how do you return to doing enterprise with nations you are sending drones into and hitting civilian targets?

MINISTER ARAGHCHI: Well, clearly these are the nations who’ve given their soil to American forces to assault us. So what can we do? We simply sit and watch that Americans are- American forces are attacking us from their soil and–

MARGARET BRENNAN: –But your drones are going into civilian areas and hitting vegetation and accommodations and civilians–

MINISTER ARAGHCHI: No, no- no, no- no, no this isn’t the actual fact. We are solely concentrating on American property, American installations, American army bases. Everything belongs to Americans, and it is a proven fact that they’re utilizing their soil, you understand, just- there are numerous, many examples. Just yesterday, they, you understand, attacked our islands utilizing HIMARS artillery rockets, which is- that are low vary, you understand, rockets they usually use the territory of UAE to assault us. Some every week in the past, three F-15 jet fighters have been shot down, apparently, by a pleasant fireplace in Kuwait. But no one requested what they have been doing in Kuwait. They have been utilizing Kuwait, and, you understand, an area of a neighborly, a pleasant nation, to assault us. So it’s apparent we can not simply, you understand, stay, you understand, silent on this.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, so many of those nations are a part of CENTCOM, but- however that is the purpose is that it should damage your nation in the long run. But once we discuss concerning the Strait of Hormuz, which is such an vital transit level for international commerce, you’ve gotten stated it’s closed to Israel and it is closed to the United States. The Financial Times is reporting that European diplomats from France and Italy are speaking to your authorities about making an attempt to get secure passage for his or her ships. Are you open to restarting oil and fuel vessels going via there?

MINISTER ARAGHCHI: Well, we’re open to nations who need to discuss to us concerning the secure passage of their vessels. It relies on our–

MARGARET BRENNAN: You are negotiating with France and Italy?

MINISTER ARAGHCHI: I can not point out any nation specifically, however now we have been approached by plenty of nations who desires to have a secure passage for his or her vessels. And that is as much as our army to resolve, they usually have already determined to let, you understand, a bunch of vessels belongs to completely different nations to go in a secure and safe. So we offer them safety to go as a result of now we have not closed this strait. They will not be coming themselves due to the insecurity which is there, due to the aggression by the U.S.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I need to ask you once more concerning the negotiations. Iran has declared it has 440 kilos or so of nuclear materials. Where is that materials now? Who has custody of it?

MINISTER ARAGHCHI: Well, now we have not declared. This is verified and declared by the agency–

MARGARET BRENNAN: — That’s proper.–  

MINISTER ARAGHCHI: — this isn’t a secret. This is just not a secret. You know, the company have stated in his many experiences the precise quantity of our enriched, you understand, nuclear material–

MARGARET BRENNAN: — Yes. So the place is it now? Who has custody of it?

MINISTER ARAGHCHI: So, they’re, there are beneath the rubbles. You know, the- our nuclear amenities have been attacked, and the whole lot is beneath the rubbles. Of course, you understand there may be the chance to retrieve them, however beneath the supervision of the company. If someday we come to the conclusion to do this, it could be beneath the supervision of the company. But in the interim, now we have no program. We don’t have any plan to recuperate them from beneath the rubbles.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Am I understanding you right here? Because I do know that you simply stated 48-hours earlier than the U.S. strikes occurred, you had personally supplied to President Trump’s negotiators to take that 440-kilo quantity of 60% enriched materials and to dilute it. You stated Iran was prepared to offer that materials away. This was within the deal that was additionally introduced to Vice President Vance by Oman. Today, is Iran nonetheless prepared to let go of that enriched uranium?

MINISTER ARAGHCHI: Well, that was one of many parts of a deal that we have been negotiating with our, you understand, American interlocutors. That aspect handled the query of Iran’s 60% enriched materials, and I said- I supplied really that we’re able to dilute these enriched materials, or down mix them, as they are saying, into decrease proportion. So that was a, you understand, a giant provide, a giant concession with a purpose to show that Iran has by no means needed nuclear weapons and would by no means need them–

MARGARET BRENNAN: — Are you prepared to offer that up now?

MINISTER ARAGHCHI: Well, there may be nothing on the desk proper now. Everything relies on the longer term. If any time sooner or later we resolve to enter into negotiation with U.S. or different interlocutors, you understand, we might resolve what to placed on the desk. For the time being, nothing is- nothing is on the desk.

MARGARET BRENNAN: There are at the least 4 Americans being held at Evin Prison that we all know of, together with a journalist, Reza Valizadeh and Kamran Hekmati, a 61 12 months previous man. What is the standing of these Americans? Are they secure?

MINISTER ARAGHCHI: Well, if they- if the U.S. and Israel don’t assault our prisons. I suppose they’re secure.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Foreign Minister, we’re operating out of time, and I can see the web goes out and in right here. I simply do need to level out you are talking to us through Zoom. The Iranian folks do not have open Internet entry, however you do. Why?

MINISTER ARAGHCHI: Well, I’m the voice- as a result of I’m the voice of Iranians, and I’ve to defend their proper. So because of this I’ve entry to web to only, you understand, have- have our voice being heard by the worldwide group. But web is closed due to the safety causes, as a result of we’re beneath the- beneath assault, we’re beneath aggression, and now we have to do the whole lot to guard our folks. In any nation, there are, you understand, pressing measures taken for this, for the sake of struggle.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Minister, I’m glad the uplink labored to speak to you proper now. We thanks on your time this morning, Face the Nation shall be again in a minute. Stay with us.