Iran’s foreign minister dismisses dialogue with the US and pledges ongoing missile strikes in self-defence as regional conflict intensifies.
TEHRAN: Iran’s foreign minister has declared that talks with the United States are no longer on the agenda, pledging to continue missile attacks for as long as necessary as the war between the two nations entered its 11th day.
Abbas Araghchi told PBS News that Tehran had a “very bitter experience” during previous negotiations with the US, stating, “I don’t think talking with the Americans would be on our agenda anymore.”
The conflict was triggered by US and Israeli strikes on February 28 that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with the attacks occurring just two days before Washington and Tehran were scheduled to hold a new round of talks.
Omani mediators in those prior discussions had reported “significant progress” towards a potential agreement before the military action began.
Iran has responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and US interests across the Middle East, severely disrupting shipping traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Nearly 20% of the world’s crude oil usually transits the narrow waterway, where Iranian forces have repeatedly targeted oil tankers since the war started.
Araghchi insisted in the interview that Iran was acting in “self-defence”, vowing, “We are prepared, we have been prepared to continue attacking them with our missiles as long as needed and as long as it takes.”
Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said late Monday that some countries had reached out to push for a ceasefire, telling state TV, “China, Russia and France, and even some countries in the region, are in contact with us.”
Gharibabadi added that some of these nations “are willing to do something to stop this war or establish a ceasefire”, while reiterating that Iran “did not start the aggression and the war… we are defending ourselves.”
French President Emmanuel Macron separately announced that France and its allies are preparing a “defensive” mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to secure global oil shipments.
