Araghchi: We will stand firm even in an apocalyptic war

According to Kurd Press, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said on Sunday evening in an interview with the “Meet the Press” program of the NBC News network: “It is very interesting to listen to the statements of the US Ambassador to the United Nations who desperately insists on his old and unproven accusations.”Why did they reject Iran’s seven-day plan?! A plan that could bring back normal life to the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz?!

Addressing Mike Waltz, the US ambassador to the UN, who also spoke on the show, the Iranian foreign minister said: “Why do the Americans reject this plan? This is a very important question that needs to be answered. I am also surprised that the US ambassador is discussing the seven-day plan because he has not read it at all! He may not even have been given a copy to read.”

He noted: “Our offer is clear. Iran is ready to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as part of an agreement to end the war, and in return, we want our illegally frozen money and assets to be released. We want to be able to sell our oil.Referring to a memorandum of understanding signed by the two countries in June with Pakistan as a mediator, which set out plans for a temporary ceasefire, Araqchi said: “These are not new conditions and they are things that the United States has already committed to. We are ready to open the Strait of Hormuz if certain things are done by the United States, and these certain things are not new, they did not come from space. These are our rights that we want to be respected.”

He stressed: “First of all, we want this war of aggression to end. They started this war eight months ago with the hope that they could win the war in two, three days. Now it has been eight months and we want this war to end. In 2025, they offered negotiations. We accepted and entered into negotiations and then in the middle of the negotiations, they attacked us.8 months later in February 2026, they offered to negotiate again, we accepted again and again they attacked us in the midst of negotiations. If you ask us, there is no reason for us to return to diplomacy. But we are still trying for diplomacy because we think we should not miss any opportunity for peace.

The Iranian Foreign Minister continued: We are ready to negotiate, as much as we are ready to face any challenge. We stand firm in the face of any challenge, any aggression, even if it leads to an apocalyptic war. At the same time, we are also ready for diplomacy. But now a very reasonable plan is on the table. If they reject it without any reason, it is their own fault and I must say that although we have heard from President Trump that he is rejecting this agreement, we are still waiting for an official response through the mediators.Araqchi said about the US midterm elections in November: "We do not care about the US midterm elections, but we care about our national interests."

Regarding the war crimes of the US and the Zionist regime and the martyrdom of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Seyyed Abbas Araqchi said: "Our Supreme Leader was illegally assassinated during the war, and I think it is very logical for us to protect our leader. There are many signs that His Eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Mujtaba Khamenei is being threatened by the Americans, and there are other signs that he is completely in control of the situation. We receive his opinions, orders and views, and there is a national consensus in decision-making.Iran’s foreign minister said about the country’s peaceful nuclear program: “Enrichment to 60 percent is not illegal. It is for peaceful purposes and we have answered this question. We have addressed any concerns in our past negotiations. If there is still such a question, why did they bomb us?! Are they allowed to bomb anything they think is illegal? There is no justification for this.”

He added: “War is not the solution. This was for negotiation and we have done it in the past. We have enriched uranium to 60 percent for peaceful purposes and this is within our commitment. We have not violated the NPT. There are questions that we have answered in the past during negotiations and we can do it again. There is no need for military action.”