Araghchi: Iran is not intimidated by opponent’s military posture in region

Pars Today — Iran’s Foreign Minister emphasized that the Islamic Republic does not fear military threats, stating that Iran is committed to diplomacy and reason, while also maintaining defensive readiness so that no party dares to impose war on the Iranian nation.

Speaking on Sunday at the National Congress on the Foreign Policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi highlighted the country’s core foreign policy principles, noting that the opponent’s military presence in the region does not intimidate Iran, as the Islamic Republic combines diplomatic engagement with sufficient defensive and deterrent capabilities.

Araghchi stated that the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic is rooted in the Iranian people’s desire for independence. He added that the central slogan of the Islamic Revolution—“Independence, Freedom, Islamic Republic”—was shaped by the bitter historical experience of foreign interventions and the lack of true sovereignty in pre-revolutionary periods, an experience that drove the Iranian people to demand genuine independence.

Referring to the principles of Iran’s Constitution, the head of Iran’s foreign policy apparatus emphasized that rejecting domination and preventing foreign influence are fundamental pillars of the Islamic Republic, and that without understanding this principle, Iran’s foreign policy over the past 47 years cannot be properly comprehended.

Iran’s Foreign Minister described the country’s peaceful nuclear program as an example of this independence-centered approach, emphasizing that Iran’s insistence on uranium enrichment is driven not only by technical and developmental needs, but also by the principle of rejecting foreign orders and domination. He stressed that no country has the right to dictate to Iran what it should or should not possess.

Araghchi underscored that the only way to assure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program is through diplomacy, noting that non-diplomatic options have been tried and failed, as knowledge and technology cannot be destroyed by bombing.

The Iranian Foreign Minister also stated that the Islamic Republic pursues both diplomacy and defensive readiness: if addressed with respect, Iran will respond respectfully; if confronted with coercion or force, Iran will respond proportionally.