Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi responded to the build-up of US military power in the Middle East by saying that not only Iran but “everyone will suffer” if there is any aggression.
In an interview with the BBC, Ravanchi said: “It will be traumatic… bad for everyone. It’s not that Iran will suffer only; everyone will suffer, especially those who initiated this aggression.”
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“If you feel it is an existential threat, we will respond accordingly,” the Iranian minister said.
The comments came as the US reportedly sent a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East this week.
Asked earlier Friday why a second aircraft carrier was headed to the Middle East, Trump said: “If we don’t make a deal, we’re going to need it … if we need it, we’ll have it ready.”
The last time the US had two aircraft carriers in the area was last year, when it launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June.
Iran ‘ready to negotiate nuclear deal with US if…’
Ravanchi said Iran was ready to discuss “issues” related to its nuclear program only if the US was ready to talk about sanctions.
“We are ready to discuss this and other issues related to our program, provided they (the US) are ready to talk about sanctions as well,” he said.
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“Sanctions, as we call them, illegal sanctions…those sanctions must also be on the table,” an Iranian minister told the BBC.
He said: “The notion that Iran has to do certain things without the other side committing to contribute to it cannot be accepted.”
Asked if he was optimistic that a deal could be reached with the US, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said it was “too early to say whether we will reach a deal”.
“After one round (of talks), you can’t say for sure… One meeting is not enough to make sure the other side is serious,” Iran’s deputy foreign minister said.
“Very traumatic”
The development comes after US President Donald Trump stressed the need for a deal with Iran and warned that failure to do so could be “traumatic”.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday (local time), Trump described his recent meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “very good” and said: “We have to come to an agreement or it will be very traumatic (for Iran) and I don’t want that to happen…”
“If they don’t agree, it will be a different story…” he said.
The US and Iran are likely to hold talks on the nuclear deal on February 17 in Geneva
The US and Iran are expected to hold another round of talks on the nuclear deal on Tuesday, February 17 (local time) in Geneva, Switzerland, CNN reported.
US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to attend the meetings, according to the report.
Read also | US and Iran to hold nuclear talks in Geneva this week – everything you need to know
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that trilateral meetings between Ukraine, Russia and the US will be held in Geneva on February 17-18, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
Iran and the US held previous rounds of nuclear talks in April 2025 in Muscat, Oman and Rome, Italy.
Iran nuclear deal
The Iran nuclear deal dates back to July 2015, when the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed between Iran and several world powers, including the US, which limited Tehran’s enrichment level to 3.67 percent and reduced its uranium stockpile to 300 kilograms.
The deal collapsed in 2018 when Trump unilaterally withdrew from the agreement.