“Why have we insisted, and continue to insist, on uranium enrichment? Why won’t we surrender it, even under the threat of war? Because no one has the right to dictate what we may or may not possess. This is rooted in a fundamental principle: the rejection of domination.

Enrichment is our right under international law, and whether we choose to exercise it is our business alone. For years we’ve been told, ‘You have no right to enrich; enrichment must be zero.’ Why? ‘Because we’re concerned,’ they say. If you’re concerned, we’re prepared to address that. Have questions? We’ll answer them. Is trust lacking? We’ll build it. But no one has the right to say, ‘You cannot have this because we don’t want you to.’

This is the heart of our resolve: we have stood firm in defense of our own rights. Enrichment matters, but what matters even more is demonstrating that the Islamic Republic of Iran takes orders from no one and submits to no domination.

If there are doubts about the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program, we are ready to answer them. The only path forward is diplomacy. Every other path has been tried and has led nowhere. Negotiations will only succeed when the rights of the Iranian people are recognized and respected, not granted, because our rights are already legitimate in and of themselves. What we ask is simply that they be respected.”

In my view, Araghchi’s statement is more than a dignified reply to the United States. It is a rebuke of the condescending posture the West has held toward Muslims for nearly a century. It is a declaration that the era of bullying and imposed values is over. If Iran emerges from this with its honor intact, God willing, neither the United States nor the Muslim world will be what they once were.

https://xcancel.com/FrameTheGlobe/status/2043432051106558319