TEHRAN, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Monday that Tehran has neither sought a ceasefire nor negotiations with the United States, rejecting U.S. claims that it requested a truce.

People attend a protest against U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 28, 2026. (File photo: Xinhua)

In a post on X, Araghchi called such claims "delusional" and said Iran's armed forces would keep fighting until U.S. President Donald Trump recognizes that the "illegal war he's imposing on both Americans and Iranians is wrong and must never be repeated."

Speaking later at a weekly news conference in Tehran, Araghchi said that any end to the conflict must ensure that attacks on Iran are not repeated.

"When we say we do not want a ceasefire, it is not because we seek to continue the war," he said. "It is because this time the war must end in a way that the enemies never think of repeating the attacks."

Araghchi accused Iran's adversaries of attempting to force the country into "unconditional surrender" after mobilizing their full capabilities. He added that Iran's opponents, more than two weeks into the conflict, were now seeking help from countries they once considered hostile and calling for international assistance to secure shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, he said, restricts passage only for enemies and their allies involved in the conflict.

On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint strikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities, killing former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior military commanders, and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. bases and assets across the Middle East.