The world witnessed only a fraction of Iran’s power during the 12-day war with Israel in June, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said this week, Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Iran’s official news agency reported.
Iran is trying to maintain the posture that it continues to have power to confront Israel.
Iran is “now even more prepared for any potential new conflict,” Araghchi told Qatar-based news channel Al Jazeera.
“I think the whole world witnessed part of our power during the 12-day war,” he said. “Despite the surprise attacks Israel carried out against us on the first day, we were able to respond immediately. In the early days, Mr. Trump [US President Donald Trump] tweeted that we should surrender unconditionally, but by the 12th day, it was they who proposed an unconditional ceasefire.”
“This shows that Iran is much stronger than they had imagined,” he added. “In particular, the national unity and the people’s steadfast support for the government came as a major surprise to the world. We learned many lessons from that war in political, military, and economic fields, and I can say that if another war happens, we will be even more prepared.”
IRNA reported: “The foreign minister also warned Israel that it would fail again if it launched a new war against Iran, arguing that the Islamic Republic has identified the enemy’s weak points during the 12-day confrontation.”
“A failed experience leads only to another failure,” Araghchi was quoted as saying. “The Israeli regime did not achieve any of its objectives in the 12-day war, and if it tries to repeat that failed experience, it will face the same outcome, especially that we are even better prepared. We have thoroughly identified both our own weaknesses and those of the enemy during the 12-day war, and we can now act with much greater strength.”
He also said the conflict showed Israel’s air defenses could be penetrated.
“The top Iranian diplomat said that during the 12-day war, his country made every effort to prevent the conflict from spilling over into the wider region, even as Israel tried to expand it to the Persian Gulf by attacking Iran’s oil and petrochemical facilities there,” IRNA reported.
“It is unclear what will happen in the future. We are not interested in war or its escalation,” Araghchi was quoted as saying. “But we are facing a warmongering regime that is ready to drag the entire region into conflict.”
Iran blames Israel for regional instability
Iran claims that Israel is the main reason for regional instability.
“According to Araghchi, a major shift has occurred in the region, with countries now recognizing who the real enemy is,” IRNA reported. “He said that previous propaganda portraying Iran as a threat has lost credibility.”
Meanwhile, Iran is still discussing its nuclear issues.
Araghchi said Iran is “ready to negotiate with any country to prove it,” the report said. “He noted that Iran is prepared to address any concern or question regarding its nuclear activities within the framework of negotiations aimed at reaching an assuring and balanced solution.”
“Currently, we are fully prepared for fair negotiations based on equality, mutual interests, and the win-win principle,” Araghchi said. “He emphasized that an agreement on the nuclear issue remains possible, but that the United States is making excessive and unreasonable demands, setting conditions.”
“Iran’s stockpile of 60-percent enriched uranium, weighing 400 kilograms, remains in the same location where it was prior to the 12-day war,” Araghchi said, adding that “we haven’t touched it since before the war. Most of it is under the rubble – in fact, almost all of it – and we have no intention of removing it until conditions allow.
“We also don’t know how much of the 400 kilograms is intact and how much has been lost, and we won’t know until it is recovered from beneath the debris. It remains exactly where it was before the attack.”
Regarding Iran’s foreign policy, Araghchi said: “The Iranian people are proud and honorable. They will never trade their independence and dignity for anything.”
Iran is prepared to engage with various countries, but it doesn’t want to take orders from others. It views itself as still strong enough to defend itself in a war. As such, it wants to continue to project strength even as it has suffered losses in the Middle East.
“Iran’s priority is strengthening relations with its neighbors – a policy of good neighborliness that began from a position of strength and continues to expand after the June war,” Araghchi said.