In a live-broadcast interview with Iran’s state TV during a visit to Iraq’s holy city of Karbala on Thursday night, Araqchi urged caution against the hostile attempts to keep Iran in a state of war.
While the possibility of war against any country exists with varying probabilities, efforts must be made to prevent enemies from manipulating the Iranian public opinion, he said.
Stressing the need for the Iranian Armed Forces and government to maintain preparedness in all circumstances, Araqchi said, “Speaking as an expert in international relations, I see no prospect of an imminent war.”
The foreign minister stated that preparedness for war is the main factor preventing it.
While the Zionist regime waged a war of aggression against Iran on June 13 and struck Iran’s military, nuclear and residential areas for 12 days, the US stepped in and conducted military attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran’s Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan on June 22.
The Iranian military forces conducted powerful counterattacks immediately after the aggression. The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Aerospace Force carried out 22 waves of retaliatory missile strikes against the Zionist regime as part of Operation True Promise III that inflicted heavy losses on cities across the occupied territories.
Also, in response to the US attacks, Iranian armed forces launched a wave of missiles at al-Udeid air base in Qatar, the largest American military base in West Asia.
A ceasefire that came into force on June 24 brought the fighting to a halt.