Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei made the remarks in his weekly presser on Monday, during which he answered questions put forward by journalists.
Baghaei stated that the region continues to face ongoing war-mongering by the Israeli regime, saying that over the past 80 years, the Zionist regime has continuously waged war in the region. He said recent developments constitute a violation of the January 19 ceasefire, stressing that a ceasefire in Lebanon is an inseparable part of any understanding aimed at ending the war.
He added that the United States is also violating ceasefires in the region, and said that this should be added to the ongoing maritime banditry, which itself constitutes a breach of the ceasefire and an act of aggression. He stated that Iran considers itself committed to taking any necessary action to safeguard the declared ceasefire, adding that both the diplomatic apparatus and other components of the state are monitoring developments and will not refrain from any action required to defend Iran’s national security.
Commenting on contradictory statements and excessive U.S. demands regarding an initial agreement and the latest status of negotiations, he said the reasons are not unclear.
The senior Iranian diplomat stated that from the outset, Iran knew it was negotiating under conditions of distrust, and that this is an assumed premise. Baghaei said negotiations began in an atmosphere of deep suspicion and that exchanges of messages are also taking place in this context.
He said that in such a situation, when the other side presents new and contradictory demands and issues different media messages, the negotiation process is prolonged, adding that one of the reasons for escalating tensions in the region is precisely the disruption of the diplomatic process to prevent any improvement in conditions.
He stressed that the United States and the Israeli regime cannot be viewed separately and that everything happening in the region certainly has the United States as a constant factor.
Regarding the fate of detained Iranian citizens in Kuwait, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that four Iranian nationals were unjustifiably arrested by Kuwait, calling on the Kuwaiti government to act based on international law and provide consular access for Iran.
Baghaei said the action is completely illegal and contrary to the principle of good neighborliness and could have highly negative consequences for bilateral relations, noting that preventing an aggressor country from using a state’s territory is a recognized principle.
In response to Donald Trump’s statements and the request to change the text of the initial understanding, he said that whenever Iran needs to act on nuclear issues, it will do so. He reiterated that Iran’s focus at present is the end of the war.
He said that one of the fundamental problems with the current U.S. administration is its contradictory and changing positions, adding that if one party changes its demands, the other side will naturally also change its position.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Baghaei touched on European Union accusations against Iran, calling them a clear example of hypocrisy.
He said it is not possible to ignore an open attack on Iran, attempt to justify it, and then blame Iran when it takes defensive action. He added that this approach contradicts the EU’s own claims of respecting state sovereignty.
Regarding cooperation between the United States and the Israeli regime and the participation of some regional countries in attacks on Iran, he said Iran has its own assessments regarding the performance of regional countries.
He said Iran looks at Western reports with skepticism, believing they do not seek the good of regional countries, saying that Tehran has no doubt that some countries have, unfortunately, not respected neighborly and legal commitments.
He said Iran maintains a permanent demand that they correct their approach and not allow the presence of the United States and the Israeli regime to create permanent insecurity for the peoples of the region.
Regarding a U.S. maritime blockade and Trump’s contradictory statements, he said media outlets should think more carefully about how seriously to take statements by U.S. officials, adding that they easily make incorrect statements.
Baghaei added that message exchanges between Iran and the US are continuing, and no final conclusion has been reached. He said that with such contradictory statements, Iran remains unfocused on distractions.
Regarding Lebanon and the passivity of the Lebanese government toward the Israeli regime, he said that defending a country’s sovereignty is one of the fundamental duties of any government. He said every government is responsible for protecting its borders and must take all necessary actions.
Baghaei went on to say that the situation in Lebanon is well known, and that the Lebanese resistance has been the main barrier against Israeli expansionism over the past decades. He added that the importance and role of the Lebanese resistance in defending the country has become clearer than ever.
This is a developing story…
