Araghchi: No ceasefire by the Zionist regime can be trusted

In an interview with CGTN China, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, stated that Iran bravely defended itself against the Zionist regime’s aggression.

Araghchi clarified that the Israeli attacks on Iran were not part of a conflict but constituted an act of aggression: “This was an unprovoked attack by Israel on the Islamic Republic of Iran. We had no choice but to exercise our right to self-defense, and thus, we defended our country.”

He added: “Here, on our soil, we stood firm with courage and forced the aggressors to halt their attack and demand an unconditional ceasefire, which we accepted.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Araghchi stressed: “Of course, this ceasefire is fragile, and the reason is obvious: no ceasefire from that regime (Israel) is trustworthy because of its extremely poor track record. Therefore, we are fully vigilant and prepared should the ceasefire be violated.”

He emphasized further: “But this is not our desire; it never was from the beginning. We did not want this war, but we were prepared for it. We do not want this war to continue, but again, I must say: we are fully ready.”

Interview Transcript:

Q: You recently mentioned that Iran still needs more time to decide on the possibility of resuming nuclear talks with the United States. What exactly does Iran need to consider?

A: If we are not yet convinced, it is because we need to see genuine intent from the other side — intent to reach a win-win solution. Our nuclear program is purely for peaceful purposes, and we are fully confident in this. We have no problem sharing this confidence with others, but this can only be done through negotiation.

We achieved this in 2015; we negotiated with the so-called P5+1 countries and reached an agreement. If you recall, the world celebrated that agreement as a major diplomatic achievement, and we remained committed to it. But suddenly, the U.S. decided to withdraw from the agreement — a deeply regrettable decision — and everything we are witnessing today is the result of that withdrawal.

Q: Is there a possibility of returning to a negotiated agreement?

A: I believe so, but as I said, this requires serious and genuine will from the other side. Military options must be ruled out. We should move forward and seek a solution through negotiation.

I believe the recent attack on our facilities proved that there is no military solution to deal with Iran’s nuclear program. Only a diplomatic and negotiated solution can be effective, and this is only possible if they abandon their military ambitions and compensate for the damages they have inflicted upon us. Then, we will be ready to participate in negotiations.

On Iran’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

A: Iran has officially joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a full member. We place great value on this organization and regard its efforts to establish a rightful place for southern countries in the international order as highly valuable.

At the same time, we observe that many countries are eager to join this organization, which is, in itself, a positive sign. But more important is our genuine will to pursue this path and address the security, economic, and even cultural issues of member states in a way distinct from the usual Western approach.

In this regard, I must say that we appreciate the Secretariat of the SCO and all its member states for condemning the aggressive actions of Israel and the U.S. against the Islamic Republic of Iran, especially the attacks on our nuclear facilities.

Military aggression in any form is condemned

A: As you know, military aggression in any form is a blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter. However, attacking nuclear facilities is an even greater and unforgivable violation because such actions are not only absolutely prohibited but could also cause catastrophic environmental consequences for humanity.

As I mentioned, we appreciate the support of the SCO members, particularly China, which has taken a very strong stance in support and solidarity with Iran and expressed condolences to the Iranian people, including the women and children affected. Ultimately, we expect full political support for Iran’s position in the upcoming SCO summit.