Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi: We are ready for both war and peace

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in an interview with international media, evaluated US President Donald Trump's statements regarding Iran, the ongoing negotiations with the US, and potential military scenarios. Emphasizing that all options are on the table, Araghchi stated, "We are fully prepared for both war and peace."

Referring to the talks to be held between Iran and the US tomorrow in Geneva, Switzerland, Araghchi noted that progress was made in the previous round and said, "We were able to reach a kind of mutual understanding, and I believe we can build an agreement, a consensus, based on this understanding. It is possible to reach a fair, balanced, and equitable agreement, and we can achieve this."

"Our Armed Forces are ready"

Pointing out that the Iranian Armed Forces are ready for a potential conflict, Araghchi said, "We know how to defend ourselves, and we have demonstrated this in the past. We have learned serious lessons from the war we experienced, and today we are more prepared than ever. However, this preparation does not mean we are seeking war. On the contrary, being strong is the most effective way to prevent war. If you are not prepared, you bring the conflict to your own doorstep. We do not want war; our goal is to prevent it. I am a person of diplomacy, and I believe that the process we are conducting is the most correct ground for resolving this issue."

"There is no military option for the nuclear program"

Rejecting the possibility of military intervention regarding Iran's nuclear program, Araghchi said, "There is no military option for Iran's peaceful nuclear program. We are ready to answer questions if there are any, and to address concerns if they exist. However, we will not give up our right to peaceful nuclear technology. This is our clear position. In this framework, I believe that a fair and balanced solution that the parties can agree upon can be reached in Geneva tomorrow."

"Our missiles are for defensive purposes"

Responding to Trump's claims that Iran is developing missiles capable of reaching the US, Araghchi said, "In my opinion, he is unfortunately a victim of fake news right now. We are not developing missiles that can reach the US. We have consciously limited our missile range to 2,000 kilometers. These systems are designed entirely for defensive purposes and deterrence. We did not start the conflict in June. First Israel, and then the US, got involved. We only defended ourselves. The other side may evaluate this differently, but from our perspective, this is clearly legitimate self-defense."

Touching upon the stance of regional countries against war, Araghchi stated that Arab countries clearly do not want conflict, saying, "Some countries have US bases. These countries have announced that they will not allow their territories, airspace, or territorial waters to be used against Iran. Of course, to what extent they can control this is another matter. I do not know how possible this will be in practice."

"If the US attacks, bases will be legitimate targets"

Addressing a potential US attack, Araghchi said, "If the US launches an attack on Iran, American bases in the region will become legitimate targets. We do not consider these points as the territory of neighboring countries, but as military assets belonging to the US. When we had to target the US base in Qatar previously, I immediately established contact with the Qatari Foreign Minister. I informed him before the attack. I clearly stated that this was directed at the US base located in Qatar, not at Qatar. I specifically emphasized that our goal was not to target our brotherly country, Qatar."

"We will not surrender to military threats"

Responding to a question about whether the military option might come to the agenda if the Geneva talks fail, Araghchi said, "Yes, the military option exists. They have built up a large military presence around us. But if the goal is to force us to surrender by threatening us, this will never happen. We are clear on this, and we have shown it in the past. You remember that during the war in June, calls for unconditional surrender were made on the third day of Israel's attack. But this did not happen. At the end of 12 days, they were the ones asking for an unconditional ceasefire. You cannot expect a different result by repeating the same method. Moreover, today we are in a period where we are much more prepared than in the past."

"This would be a devastating war"

Evaluating the consequences of a potential war, Araghchi said, "In such a situation, there will be no victory for anyone. This would be a devastating war. Since US bases are scattered across different points in the region, unfortunately, the entire region could be dragged into this war. This is an extremely terrifying picture; I do not even want to talk about it."

"They are trying to drag the US into war"

Accusing Israel of being the primary culprit for the tension in the region, Araghchi said, "The only party in this region that is in favor of war is Israel. We see that Israel is trying to drag the US into a war with Iran. It could not achieve this alone. It tried but did not get results, and then it asked for support from Washington. In my opinion, this is an Israeli attempt to draw the US into a war in the region."

"Our system is not dependent on individuals"

Responding to a question about what would happen if Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were targeted, Araghchi said, "We see that assassination scenarios targeting our leader Khamenei are being brought up in the US media and some circles. However, processes in Iran are not dependent on individuals; they are based on institutional functioning. There is a defined and established mechanism within the system. Therefore, no vacuum or crisis occurs. This issue is regulated in our constitution. There is an Assembly of Experts tasked with electing a new leader when necessary. The same process was operated after the passing of Ayatollah Khomeini, and a new leader was determined in less than 24 hours. When needed, the same mechanism is activated again. There is no problem regarding this matter."

Araghchi arrived in Geneva for nuclear negotiations

Shortly after his statements, Araghchi arrived in Geneva, Switzerland, with his delegation for the third round of indirect nuclear negotiations being conducted with the US. In the talks held between Iran and the US with Oman's mediation, it is expected that the lifting of sanctions and issues related to Iran's nuclear program will be addressed. While the Tehran administration gives the message that the process could result in a fair and balanced agreement, the third round is considered important in terms of clarifying the topics discussed in previous contacts.

News Source: 12punto