He made the remarks early Saturday in an interview with Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen news network.
Khatibzadeh’s comments came after the UN Security Council voted against a draft resolution that would have permanently lifted sanctions linked to Iran’s nuclear program. These sanctions had been lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal. The sanctions were reinstated under the “snapback” mechanism, which the E3 triggered in early August. The three European states, all parties to the nuclear agreement, formally notified the Security Council of their decision to invoke the mechanism on August 9. The Council voted on their move on Friday.
The troika are looking for an excuse to escalate tensions, said the Iranian diplomat, advising the three countries to exercise caution.
Khatibzadeh stressed, however, that diplomacy remains an option, emphasizing that it is a better path than escalating tensions.
