Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has sharply criticized the recent US military presence in the region, declaring that Iran is not intimidated by the deployment of American naval forces. Speaking at a forum in Tehran on Sunday, Araghchi said the country would continue its uranium enrichment and broader nuclear program despite mounting US military and diplomatic pressure.

According to TRT World, Araghchi’s remarks came two days after an indirect meeting in Oman with US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Following that meeting, Witkoff visited the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, currently stationed in the region as part of a US show of force. Araghchi dismissed the deployment as insignificant, emphasizing that Iran’s nuclear program is a matter of national sovereignty and not a bargaining tool.

He added that Tehran is prepared to face the risk of armed conflict to protect its nuclear infrastructure. The statement follows years of escalating tension since the US withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 and subsequent regional clashes, including US and Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities in 2025.