Iran "enters diplomacy with open eyes," Tehran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X/Twitter on Friday morning ahead of renewed talks with the US, which are due to begin in Oman later on Friday.
Yet, the Islamic Republic has "a steady memory of the past year," he noted, likely referring to how the last round of negotiations was disrupted by Israeli and American strikes on Iran in June.
"We engage in good faith and stand firm on our rights," Araghchi claimed.
"Commitments need to be honored. Equal standing, mutual respect, and mutual interest are not rhetoric - they are a must and the pillars of a durable agreement," the foreign minister affirmed.
Meanwhile, Ali Shamkhani, political advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who participated in the 2025 talks and is likely participating in the renewed talks this weekend, commented that Araghchi is a "skilled, strategic and trustworthy negotiator at the highest levels of decision-making and military intelligence," in a post on his own X page.
Iranian soldiers "will safeguard the nation's interests" acting under Khamenei's orders, Shamkhani added.
Notably, Shamkhani previously served as the naval chief of Iran's military and of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
His comments were posted in six languages: Farsi, Arabic, English, Hebrew, Russian, and Chinese.
Only acceptable negotiation result is Islamic Regime's surrender to Iranian people, Crown Prince Pahlavi says
Additionally, Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi reacted to the renewed talks on Friday, commenting that the "only acceptable deal" is a deal where the "Islamic Republic surrenders to the people of Iran" in a post on his official X account.
"We are ready for such a deal, and it will bring peace to the region and the world," Pahlavi affirmed, writing in both Farsi and English.
Araghchi denounces Germany's Merz, E3 pressure on Iranian nuclear sanctions, Merz's support for Israeli strikes last June
In a separate post, Araghchi reacted to Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who called for an end to violence in Iran and noted that Berlin is prepared to increase pressure, engaging in talks aimed at bringing Iran's nuclear program "to a swift end."
Araghchi denounced Germany as an "engine of regression" that has fallen from its history as the "engine of Europe's progress."
He noted that the E3 (Germany, Britain, and France) pushed to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran, which the foreign minister believes "put an end to [E3s] role in nuclear negotiations," alleging that Merz is now "begging" to be allowed to resume negotiations.
"We Iranians have unfortunately been faced with several other examples of Merz's political naivety and distasteful character," he accused.
He also commented that Merz "expressed exuberance" when Israel conducted airstrikes on Iran in June, and has "publicly daydreamed about Iran supposedly being weeks away from collapse."
"Iran has always welcomed strong relations with Germany. It is, therefore, doubly regrettable that an individual such as Mr. Merz now represents Germany on the world stage. We hope that more mature and honourable political leadership will return to Germany," Araghchi concluded.