Iran pushed to continue the war with the United States in order to force a ceasefire on its own terms, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said during a conference with Iranian educators on Tuesday.
"We were the ones who refused the ceasefire and continued the war until we reached a point where they [the US] agreed to a ceasefire and negotiations on Iran's terms," Araghchi said. "We fought with strength and negotiated with strength, and we won the war, and we won the diplomacy."
According to Araghchi, "The Iranian people stood against what was supposedly the largest military in the world, which was supported and assisted by most Western countries and by several other countries in the region and beyond."
Araghchi concluded by saying that "those who tried to impose unconditional surrender on Iran begged for negotiations shortly after the war began."
Trump says Iran should raise white flag, threatens Oman over Hormuz
On Monday, US President Donald Trump told FOX News that Iran should raise "the white flag of surrender," and that he has "no time schedule" and is in "no hurry" to make a deal. The Iranians are "good poker players, but they're dying," said Trump.
He also warned that “if Oman gets in the way [of US control in the Strait of Hormuz], we’ll bomb the s*** out of them."
Regarding US munitions used against Iran, Trump said that what has been used so far against Iran "is peanuts."
Miriam Sela-Eitam contributed to this report.