Tehran- IRAF- Isma’eel Baqai, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in his weekly press conference at a school damaged by recent aggressions, on Tuesday, March 3, emphasized Iran’s previous stance on the regional consequences of conflict.
Baqai stated, “We had previously emphasized that if a war against Iran occurs, it would be a regional war. We responsibly warned, and the Commander-in-Chief (Martyr Seyyed Ali Khamene’i) also warned that this war would be a regional war.” He attributed this to the use of the region for military attacks and stated that “making the region insecure is the project of the Zionist regime, and unfortunately, America has also been dragged into this project.” The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that the targets of Iran’s armed forces are military objectives and American military bases.
Baqai expressed hope that regional countries would not allow the Zionist regime’s mischief to succeed. He warned that this regime, in continuation of its killings in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, seeks to involve others in the holy month of Ramadan and expand the fire.
Baqai emphasized that the Zionist regime aims to exploit the current ambiguous situation to convert its war with America against Iran into a regional war.
Pattern of Deception in American Diplomacy and Nuclear File
In response to statements by Vitkof (an American official), Baqai described it as “lie after lie and deception after deception” and stated that this pattern has become the diplomacy of the American era. He rejected the claim of Iran’s readiness to build a nuclear bomb, recalling, “We had enrichment, and although we emphasized that enrichment is part of our right, essentially, there was no enrichment [after attacks on facilities].”
The spokesperson for the diplomatic apparatus emphasized the mythical responsibility of officials in using diplomacy to prevent war and stated, “Your diplomats were not incompetent. Your diplomats, witnessed by friends and enemies, were among the most expert negotiators.” He pointed to the sheer hypocrisy of the opposite side in claiming sympathy for the Iranian people, stating, “History will not forgive us if we believe their lies.”
Responsibility of the Security Council and Stopping Aggression
Baqai emphasized that Iran has no problem with the American people and that their governments have attacked a civilized country without reason.
He described the role of the Security Council as vital regarding current developments and stated, “They cannot, in a situation where a country is under military aggression, demand restraint from both the aggressor and the victim with one statement.”
He considered the way to stop the war as forcing the aggressors to stop their aggression and stated that currently, the entire focus is on defending the country.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited audiences to examine Iran’s 50- to 100-year history to understand current developments correctly and stated, “Look at the entire process. See which side has consistently adhered to commitments and diplomacy, and which side has repeatedly breached its promises.”
He emphasized that Iran went to negotiations with good intentions, even when the scene of killing Iranian children was in front of the diplomats.
Denial of “Four Demands” Proposed by America
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the claim of four new American demands, including stopping Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, and described it as an attempt to justify hostile actions.
Baqai recalled the third round of Geneva negotiations and statements by the Omani Foreign Minister, noting that significant progress had been made in the two previous rounds of negotiations. He added that the request to hold the next round of technical negotiations in Vienna was raised by the American side, and Iran accepted it.
The spokesperson for the diplomatic apparatus pointed to recent statements by Vitkof (an American official), who claimed that there are four demands from Iran: “ending Iran’s nuclear program, ending Iran’s missile program, ending any support for friends in the region, and also ending the Iranian Navy.”
Baqai firmly emphasized, “None of these discussions were raised in Geneva negotiations, and these are lies that are made to justify this action.”
The senior Iranian diplomat addressed the American people, stating that they should ask their statesmen why they are doing such things with the reputation, money, and lives of American soldiers.
He asked, “Is the war a war to prevent threats to American national security, or is it a civilizational war to destroy the signs and symbols of a several-thousand-year-old civilization?” He raised this question, pointing to recent attacks, “What threat did our children in Minab pose to American national security?”
Adherence to the Peaceful Nuclear Path
Baqai argued, pointing to contradictions in the positions of the opposite side, “Iran’s nuclear program, which you said was destroyed in Khordad, if it was destroyed, then what is the reason for the new war?” He emphasized Iran’s defensive rights and asked, “Does Iran not have the right to defend itself? Should we not be equipped to preserve 90 million Iranian people with their past, present, and future?” He emphasized, “We are guardians of a civilization that has served humanity. This war is a war against civilization.”
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the end, invited [people] to trust Iran’s narrative and stated, “Show me once that the Supreme Leader has said we will take our peaceful nuclear program to a military path. He was a jurist who announced his religious opinion from the beginning and remained steadfast until the last moments.”
