TEHRAN — Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israel of actively sabotaging diplomatic efforts and said that it was the primary obstacle to a lasting ceasefire agreement with the United States, according to IRNA news agency.
“The Zionist regime was and remains the biggest opponent and obstacle to the implementation of the memorandum of understanding. They made every effort to prevent such an agreement from being reached, every effort to make this agreement fail, and every effort to prevent it from being implemented,” he said.
He further said Trump’s demand for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” did not materialize, as Tehran accepted a ceasefire and negotiated with Washington on its own terms.
Araghchi said Iran had “won both the war and diplomacy,” claiming those who initially sought Tehran’s “unconditional surrender” later sought negotiations.
Speaking at an event, Araghchi said Iran resisted for days against what he described as “the world’s largest apparent military,” alongside another army claiming military power and with the support of nearly all Western countries and some other states inside and outside the region, according to the Tasnim news agency.
“Those who were seeking unconditional surrender, shortly after the war began, begged for negotiations,” Araghchi said.
He claimed Tehran initially rejected a ceasefire and continued fighting until reaching a point where the other side accepted a ceasefire and negotiations.
“We fought with strength, and we negotiated with strength,” he said, adding that many foreign ministers had told him: “You won both the war and diplomacy.”
Araghchi’s remarks came after US President Donald Trump called on Iran on Monday to give up and “raise the white flag.”
“They want to make a deal, but they’re not going to make the kind of a deal that I feel is necessary,” Trump said, adding that Iran “should put up a white flag of surrender”.
Iran has threatened to escalate its military posture in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region after a 60-day window for reaching a permanent peace agreement expired without a breakthrough. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran could launch a “timely and precise” attack to break the US naval blockade if diplomacy failed.
Both Washington and Tehran ruled out extending the interim agreement.
Source: Saudi Gazette