In comments at a Q&A panel during the conference “International Law under Assault: Aggression and Defense”, held in Tehran on Sunday, Araqchi said the recent military strikes by the Zionist regime and the US on Iran constituted “an attack on diplomacy,” but added that the conflict ultimately demonstrated that force cannot replace dialogue.
He said the confrontation left the Israeli regime and the US short of their objectives and has now led to fresh outreach for renewed talks.
“Facilities may be damaged, but knowledge and determination cannot be destroyed by bombing,” the foreign minister added, noting that requests for reopening negotiations have already emerged.
Araqchi reiterated that Iran never abandoned the negotiating table. “Diplomacy has clear rules. One cannot impose demands. The first step in diplomacy is accepting that dialogue must replace force. Whenever that condition exists, Iran has shown its readiness to negotiate,” he said, adding that Western governments were the ones who walked away from talks.
Highlighting the strengthened unity and defensive capability of Iran after the imposed war in June, he said, “We learned many lessons and are more prepared than before, which itself serves as a deterrent.”
He finally urged the US and its allies to adopt a respectful approach if they wish to resolve issues with Iran. “There is no solution except through diplomacy and the language of dignity and respect. If they speak with respect, Iran will answer with respect; otherwise, the Iranian people will respond in the language they are spoken to,” he warned.
On June 13, the Zionist regime launched an unprovoked war of aggression against Iran, targeting military, nuclear, and residential areas for 12 consecutive days. The United States later escalated the conflict by striking three of Iran’s nuclear sites in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan on June 22.
Iran’s Armed Forces delivered an immediate and forceful response. The IRGC Aerospace Force carried out 22 waves of retaliatory missile strikes under Operation True Promise III, inflicting significant damage and heavy losses on cities across the occupied territories.
In retaliation for the US attacks, Iranian forces also targeted al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar —the largest American military installation in West Asia— with a barrage of missiles.
The confrontation came to an end on June 24, when a ceasefire was enforced.