Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed Tehran’s actions are purely in self-defense, but his country “remains committed to diplomacy," according to a post he shared on X/Twitter.
“Even in the face of the most outrageous aggression against our people, Iran has so far only retaliated against the Israeli regime and not those who are aiding and abetting it,” Araghchi wrote on Thursday.
He accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “manufacturing this war to destroy diplomacy” and said the world "should be highly alarmed about increasing attempts by the failing Israeli regime to get others to bail it out and to expand the flames to the region and beyond."
Araghchi stated Iran has never sought and will never seek nuclear weapons but noted that "Iran will continue to exercise its right to self-defense, with pride and bravery, and we will make the aggressor regret and pay for its grave error," he wrote.
The Iranian foreign minister concluded by asserting that his country was committed to diplomacy. "As before, we are serious and forward-looking in our outlook."
Potential meeting with Trump
On Wednesday, a senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official told the New York Times that Iran would meet soon with US President Donald Trump.
The official said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would likely accept a meeting to discuss a ceasefire with Israel, though Trump has indicated he wants talks to focus on Iran’s nuclear program, according to the NYT.
Earlier on Wednesday, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rejected negotiations with the US and warned that if it attacked Iran, the US “without doubt will face irreparable harm.”