Iran ready for dialogue with credible guarantees, says Araghchi

Baghdad Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran remains ready for dialogue based on credible guarantees but will not accept coercion, threats or intimidation amid the ongoing conflict with the United States. Speaking at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting, Araghchi accused Washington of choosing aggression, threats, assassinations and economic pressure instead of diplomacy. He said Iran would not give up its sovereign rights under pressure and called for mutual respect in any negotiations. According to Iran’s IRNA news agency, Araghchi also met Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on the sidelines of the meeting. He accused the United States of repeatedly disrupting diplomatic efforts. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also said Tehran would not surrender to what he described as the excesses of aggressor countries. Meanwhile, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh stressed that ending hostilities on all fronts was necessary for lasting peace in the region. He warned that continued fighting would prolong the wider conflict. Khatibzadeh said ending the Israeli war on Lebanon remained an important objective and referred to the Islamabad memorandum of understanding signed by Iran and the United States in June. He also said Lebanon was among the key issues discussed between the two countries. Separately, Iran’s parliament approved Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi as the country’s new defence minister. US President Donald Trump, speaking at a campaign rally in Kentucky on Saturday, expressed confidence that the conflict with Iran would end quickly. He also predicted that fuel prices in the United States would fall below previous levels once hostilities ended. The statements came amid continuing tensions and differing positions on diplomacy, regional security and efforts to end the conflict.