TEHRAN -- Iran has no plans to meet U.S. officials despite receiving a letter from Vice President JD Vance proposing a framework for direct negotiations, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday, while warning that Tehran is prepared for any scenario, including war, and that “red lines are a thing of the past.”
Araghchi told Al Jazeera that Iran has no current plans to hold meetings with American officials, dismissing media speculation about a diplomatic encounter as “mere media guesswork.” 
He warned that if Washington’s goal in sending the message is to stir up discord, “it would be yet another mistake to add to its previous ones.”
Vance’s letter was handed to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, through Qatari mediators on Sunday. The contents have not been made public, but multiple U.S. media outlets have reported that it proposed a “framework” for direct negotiations. 
The New York Times reported that Vance proposed a meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials in the near future, with Vance leading the U.S. delegation, and insisted that Iran’s nuclear program would have to be on the table from the outset, something Tehran has rejected in the past. Possible venues mentioned included Qatar or Turkey.
Araghchi said Tehran sees no need for a meeting with the U.S. side, insisting that Iran’s conditions are clear, and that mediators continue their consultations on those conditions. 
He made clear that a decision on whether any talks with the U.S. would be direct or indirect would be made only after Washington agrees to Tehran’s terms. 
He said an Iranian delegation had traveled to Doha, with his deputy staying in Qatar to continue consultations, and thanked Qatar and Pakistan for their sustained efforts, saying mediators had put forward proposals on the nuclear issue that Tehran is examining. 
The outreach came amid threats by U.S. President Donald Trump that Washington was considering a short but intense military strike on Iran following the U.S. midterm elections to be held on Tuesday, and Tehran’s pledge of a massive and unrestricted response. 
Araghchi told Al Jazeera that Iran is ready for any scenario. “We do not rule out any possibility regarding the outbreak of war, and we are prepared for all scenarios,” he said. 
“We have upgraded our weaponry, addressed our vulnerabilities,
 and tested new arms; our forces are at the highest level of readiness.” He added: “We will continue to stand firm and resist, and we will overcome this difficult phase through our own capabilities.”
In a post on X on Saturday, Araghchi responded to recent remarks by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz about the possibility of renewed U.S. attacks on Iran and the economic costs of the war for Europe. 
“When Israel-U.S. bombings of Iran began last year, Mr. Merz hailed them. ‘Doing Europe’s dirty work,’” Araghchi wrote, invoking Merz’s remarks during the first round of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran last year. 
He added that the more than 100 billion euros in economic costs is “nothing compared to the Earth-shattering blow Iran’s Powerful Armed Forces will deal against those who dare harm our people.” He further warned: “Red lines are a thing of the past.”
Araghchi was referring to Merz’s remarks on Friday, when the German chancellor, speaking at the end of his visit to South Korea, said the war could not be resolved through military means and urged all parties to pursue a diplomatic solution. 
Merz said Germany was coordinating and stepping up diplomatic efforts to bring the war to an end. “Businesses and consumers in Europe have paid more than 100 billion euros extra because energy has become more expensive as a result of this conflict,” he said. 
“We therefore also have an economic interest in bringing this conflict to an end as quickly as possible.” He also appealed for dialogue, saying, “This conflict cannot be resolved militarily.”
The United States and Israel waged a 12-day war against Iran in June 2025 and a second 40-day aggression beginning Feb. 28, 2026, which halted in early April after Iran’s retaliatory operations forced a ceasefire, according to the report. 
Iran has maintained a tight grip on the Strait of Hormuz since the early days of the second war. 
In July, the U.S. conducted waves of deadly air raids on Iran and imposed a naval blockade in violation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 17 to end the war. 
In response, the Iranian Armed Forces launched devastating strikes against strategic American targets across West Asia and declared the Strait of Hormuz closed to all traffic.