In an interview with Al Jazeera, Abbas Araqchi highlighted Iran’s readiness for any fresh military aggression by the US or the Zionist regime.
“We also hear frequently that the Israeli regime might again launch an attack. I should make two points: first, psychological warfare is part of real warfare, and it appears they are currently focusing on psychological warfare, trying to create fear and unrest inside the country. That itself is part of a broader war they wish to wage against Iran. Our people are accustomed to psychological warfare. For years, the Americans and Israelis have been issuing such threats. For many years, the United States has been saying that all options are on the table and that the military option is on the table,” he said.
“It is more an effort to create unrest and fear in our society, and this is precisely what is happening now. That said, this does not mean we are ignoring the possibility of war. Yes, the possibility of war has always existed and certainly still does. But both the Americans and the Israeli regime know that the previous war, the 12-day episode, was a failed experience, meaning that, in fact, they failed to achieve their objectives, and if you repeat an experience you have already tried, you will get the same result,” Araqchi warned.
“We are fully prepared; our armed forces and our people are ready to defend the country under any circumstances. That does not mean we seek war. We certainly prefer to resolve matters through diplomacy. That was what I tried to pursue in New York, to create an opportunity for diplomacy. But the European countries and the United States had already made up their minds about the snapback route and had extravagant demands,” he said.
Araqchi stated, “Diplomacy is our priority, but we are prepared for any other situation. As we demonstrated in the previous war, we defend our country with full readiness. We consider all possibilities. Our security forces carry out their own assessments and convey them to the country’s authorities, and based on these assessments, we are prepared for every contingency. But my view is that, if there is any rationality, one should not repeat a failed experience.”
“Of course, we face enemies that do not refrain from any crime. What happened in Gaza before the eyes of the world showed that we are dealing with parties who set no limits to their crimes. That is why we are fully prepared, while never closing the door to diplomacy. There remains space for diplomacy, but we are ready for any situation,” the foreign minister reiterated.
“As we saw last time, they deployed their largest bombers, flew their most advanced fighters, and used their most powerful bombs to strike underground facilities, but there was no result achieved. The problem is that Iran’s nuclear issue does not have a military solution. You may destroy buildings or damage equipment, but technology cannot be eliminated by bombing or military attacks. Knowledge cannot be taken out of minds by bombs. Even if some scientists are assassinated, others remain to continue the technology. Above all, the will of a nation cannot be extinguished by bombardment,” he stated.
“Therefore, no matter how large a military operation or how powerful the attacking state, it cannot fundamentally solve the problem on the ground. This was the experiment they carried out. For many years, they threatened military attack and eventually operationalized that threat, but they did not obtain the result they sought; that is why the same discussions are taking place,” Araqchi added.
“Before military threats and attacks, they tried sanctions for many years. They sanctioned the Iranian people, but that did not resolve the problem either. There is no way other than a negotiated, diplomatic solution to address the existing issues, and ultimately they will be compelled to pursue that path,” he stated.
“As I said, yes, our nuclear facilities were damaged; they sustained serious damage from air strikes, and much of the equipment in those facilities was destroyed. That is entirely true. But the knowledge and the technology have not been eradicated, and the will of the Iranian people has not been broken,” Araqchi noted.
“What the Supreme Leader stated is completely correct: Iran’s nuclear technology is not an imported technology. We did not import our nuclear program or its equipment so that, if bombed, we would be left empty-handed. These are products of Iranian knowledge and Iranian scientists, and they can be reproduced. Therefore, Iran’s nuclear program has not been wiped out. But yes, the United States was successful in damaging some of our facilities. Our facilities were hit and suffered serious damage,” he said.
Asked about Iran’s retaliatory attack following the US strikes, Araqchi said, “We did not attack Qatar; we attacked an American base in Qatar. If a war occurs between us and the United States, and if the United States attacks our nuclear facilities, it must expect that we would retaliate and strike American facilities and military bases. Where those bases are located makes no difference. We live in friendship with our neighboring countries and have no problem with Qatar or other regional states. Unfortunately, however, American bases are stationed on the territory of some of these countries. Therefore, our conflict would be with the United States, and our strikes would target American bases.”
“I hope, of course, that this does not happen. Last time, the Americans quickly understood that the war had to be brought to an end. In my view, as someone who has participated in nuclear negotiations for the past 20 years and who led and implemented these negotiations, I say now, as Iran’s foreign minister, that a peaceful solution is entirely attainable if both sides respect each other’s rights and are ready to reach an agreement based on mutual interests,” Araqchi underlined.
“If anyone seeks to deny the rights of the Iranian people or to deprive them of their rights, naturally we cannot reach a peaceful agreement. If they try through war, the outcome will be no different. Therefore, my recommendation to the US president is to return to diplomacy and seek a negotiated solution, which in my view is attainable,” he said.
“When Iran struck the American base in Qatar, the foreign ministers of the PGCC countries went to Doha to show solidarity with Qatar and issued a statement. I called each of the six foreign ministers of the PGCC countries and asked them to include my name under that statement, saying that Iran also expresses solidarity with Qatar, because we have no problem with Qatar and our strike was not against Qatar; it was against the American base located, unfortunately, on Qatari soil,” Araqchi noted.
Asked about the prospect of negotiations with the US, the foreign minister said, “No, we have never trusted the United States as an honest negotiating partner. America has not been honest about anything. In my view, no one can trust the United States. But that does not prevent you from trying diplomacy or choosing diplomatic channels. In the previous round, when we negotiated with the United States, we negotiated despite a complete lack of trust.”
“But the reality is that over time we lost confidence in any negotiation with the United States. Once we negotiated and concluded an agreement, they left without justification and reimposed their sanctions. Once more, during the administration of the late martyr Raisi, we negotiated and exchanged detainees for our funds that had been blocked. The captives were returned, but our funds remained frozen,” he added.
“This year we negotiated, and in the middle of negotiations we were attacked. It wasn’t just Israel; the United States joined that attack. At the General Assembly, we were ready for negotiations and a diplomatic solution, but they were the ones who made extravagant demands and chose the snapback route, which is a very wrong path and will lead to harsher outcomes,” he said.
“So yes, there is no trust in the United States regarding negotiations. As the Supreme Leader recently said, negotiating with the United States is an absolute dead end. Nevertheless, the Islamic Republic of Iran, as a country that believes in diplomacy and peaceful diplomatic solutions, has always been ready to negotiate. The flag of diplomacy has always been in our hand. And whenever we feel that our counterparts are ready to negotiate from a position of equality, mutual respect, and with the aim of reaching mutual benefit, the Islamic Republic of Iran will accept,” the minister noted.
“What I meant was the action taken by the three European countries in the Security Council, which sought to restore Security Council and UN sanctions on Iran. In my view, this was a blow to diplomacy because it did not solve the fundamental problem and, in fact, made it harder and more complex. I have always made this comparison: just as a US military strike did not solve the problem but made it harder, additional sanctions, including the recent action in the Security Council, have the same effect. They will not solve the problem but will complicate it,” he warned.
“The truth is that the three European countries, by their actions, made diplomatic paths more difficult. They have dealt a blow to diplomacy that I do not think will be easily repaired,” Araqchi added.
Commenting on Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, he said, “As you said, many people in Iran believe that IAEA inspections and the Agency obtaining information about Iran’s nuclear sites led to the transfer of valuable information to Israel and the United States, and that this facilitated attacks on our nuclear sites, and they blame the inspectors of the Agency for transferring this information. After the military operation, we were forced to suspend cooperation with the Agency until we agree on a new modality and framework for cooperation, because the bombing of nuclear facilities was an unprecedented phenomenon and there was no protocol regarding how inspections should be carried out at a bombed nuclear site. I spoke with Mr. Grossi, and we agreed to design a new framework in this regard.”
“Negotiations between Iran and the IAEA took place, and we ultimately prepared this framework, which was signed by Mr. Grossi and myself in Cairo. This was a sign of Iran’s good faith and readiness to engage with the Agency. We remain prepared to pursue diplomatic tracks, but unfortunately this Iranian initiative was entirely ignored, and the Europeans and the United States pursued the snapback and the restoration of past resolutions,” he said.
“In my view, the Cairo agreement no longer has the effectiveness it needs, and we must reconsider how we cooperate with the Agency, and that is what will happen,” Araqchi said.
Asked about US President Donald Trump’s post about regime change in Iran, Araqchi said, “I am not sure exactly what he intended, because this is a blatant interference by the president of one country in the internal affairs of another. Whether Iran becomes a great and glorious country is solely for the Iranian people to decide. No one else has the right to make that decision. Whether Iran is now in a great and magnificent position or not is for us and for the Iranian people to determine. No other country can decide whether a country is in a great position or not, or whether its regime should remain or not. This is explicit interference, entirely illegal and unlawful, and for that reason I am not sure whether what the US president meant is the same as how it is being interpreted now.”
“I strongly advise the United States to respect the Iranian people and the system that the Iranian people have chosen for themselves. During the recent 12-day conflict and the US strike on Iran, the Americans witnessed national cohesion in Iran and the Iranian people’s support for their country, their territory, and, in any event, for the governing system. This is not something that others can decide on behalf of the Iranian people,” he said.
“Years ago, the people of Iran rose up against a US-aligned dictatorship that served American interests and decided to make their own choices and establish a people-based system based on Islamic values. And I think that although the United States is upset at having lost a regime that was its ally, it would be better to respect the will and choice of the Iranian people and allow them to decide for themselves,” he added.
“No one else can determine for us which regime is appropriate or what regime is not appropriate, or which movement is appropriate or which movement is not. I believe Iran is now sufficiently great and dignified to stand up to two armies equipped with nuclear weapons and to frustrate their objectives,” Araqchi noted.