TEHRAN — Iran is ready for a diplomatic solution to its conflict with the US, but if Washington again chooses a military course, Tehran is more prepared than before to defend itself and will deliver a stronger response, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday.
Addressing ambassadors and representatives of foreign countries based in Tehran at the Foreign Ministry, Araghchi said Iran remained firm and serious on both fronts — defending itself and pursuing diplomacy.
“If our enemies again choose the path of military confrontation, they will receive a stronger response than before, and we will defend ourselves more powerfully than before,” he said. “And if they are seeking diplomatic avenues, we remain ready to reach a just and dignified solution to end this war through diplomacy.”
Araghchi said Iran hoped the US would choose “the path of wisdom and rationality,” stressing that there was no military or sanctions-based solution to the conflict.
“The only solution that can work is a negotiated solution based on justice and fairness, and a dignified and diplomatic solution,” he said, adding that such an approach could provide a final way out of what he described as the “illegal and unjust aggression” launched against Iran.
Diplomatic outreach remains strong
Araghchi also highlighted Iran’s diplomatic activity during the recent UN General Assembly meetings in New York, saying the Iranian delegation had played a strong and effective role.
“I met with 42 foreign ministers, and the president met with 10 heads of state in New York,” he said.
He said Iran had clearly explained its positions in New York and that the level of interest shown by different countries in meeting with Iranian officials, learning about Tehran’s views and hearing its proposals had been “very significant.”
Araghchi said this had demonstrated the failure of what he described as an attempt by some in the US to isolate Iran.
“The perception that some people in the US may have had that they could turn Iran into an isolated country had completely failed,” he said, adding that Iran had acted in New York as “a powerful country respected by the international community” and demonstrated that it continued to have “rational positions” and solutions for both war and peace.
Iranian diplomats, he said, had been highly active at the General Assembly and had conveyed the voice of the Iranian people to the international community.
“We were present in all fields and conveyed the voice of the Iranian people to the world,” Araghchi said, adding that Iran had delivered its people’s message in favor of peace and rational solutions.
He also said Tehran had clearly explained its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that all of those conditions were consistent with commitments that the US must accept.
Tehran dismisses US claim over Iranian delegation
Araghchi also rejected a claim from the US that the Iranian delegation had been expelled from the country.
“Regardless of whether this claim is true or not, since we went and returned according to our own pre-planned schedule, the claim made by the Americans is truly strange,” he said.
He argued that the claim was contradictory because, on the one hand, it amounted to an admission that the US had violated its obligations as the host country of the United Nations, while on the other hand it demonstrated how angry Washington had become over the presence of the
Iranian delegation in the US.
‘No solution through more sanctions’
Araghchi said the US had already failed both militarily and diplomatically and would gain nothing from imposing additional sanctions.
“The US has lost both in war and in diplomacy in the past,” he said. “Trying new sanctions will also be of no benefit to them. There is no military solution and no solution based on more sanctions.”
He reiterated that Tehran remained prepared for both military defense and diplomacy.
“We remain firm and serious in both areas of defending ourselves and advancing diplomacy,” he said.
Calls on Europe to reconsider its position
Araghchi said he had also held extensive discussions with European countries and described those talks as “very frank.”
“We hope that European countries will reconsider their approach toward the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said.
He referred to what he described as a significant admission by the NATO secretary-general regarding European involvement in the US war against Iran.
“The admission by the NATO secretary-general that European countries participated in the US war against Iran was a serious admission,” Araghchi said.
According to Araghchi, the NATO chief had explicitly said that more than 5,000 US fighter jets had taken off from bases in Europe to attack Iran.
“We are still waiting for European countries to answer this question: Why did they play an effective role in this war against Iran?” he said.
Despite his criticism, Araghchi said Iran’s proposal to European countries was to establish dialogue with Tehran and avoid any participation in renewed efforts by the US and Israel to escalate the conflict.
“Our proposal to these countries is to establish dialogue with the Islamic Republic of Iran and avoid any participation in renewed warmongering by the US and the Zionist regime,” he said.
Seven-day plan could reopen Hormuz
Araghchi said Iran’s most important diplomatic initiative was a proposal it had presented for resolving the disputes between Iran and the US and ending the ongoing war.
He referred to the initiative as the seven-day plan, saying that acceptance of the proposal would allow the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened within seven days.
“The most important of all these issues is the plan that the Islamic Republic of Iran has presented for resolving the existing disputes and the ongoing war between Iran and the US,” he said.
“This plan is known as the seven-day plan, and if it is accepted, the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened within seven days.”
Araghchi’s remarks came as Tehran reiterated that it remained open to diplomacy while warning that any renewed military action would be met with a stronger response.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: tehrantimes.com
