Iran says diplomacy is part of defense against aggression

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday that diplomacy is an inseparable part of defense and struggle and should be taken into consideration, speaking at his weekly press briefing. At the start of the briefing, Baghaei commemorated two Iranian women activists who were killed in the southern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, naming Dr. Eftekhari and Ms. Aghila and stating that they had devoted their lives to the progress of Iranian society.

Turning to regional developments, Baghaei said that amid tensions in the region it was necessary, both as a moral responsibility and a legal obligation, to address what he described as atrocities unfolding in the occupied Palestinian territory. He said the war in Gaza had not ceased and that the Israeli government continues to enjoy the support of the United States and certain European nations. He stated that diplomacy is part of defense.

Asked about the United States breaching commitments, its insistence on negotiations and the Foreign Ministry's approach to ending the war, Baghaei said Iran insists on nothing other than securing its national interests. "Our concern is Iran, whether through diplomacy or through defense," he said. He added that in this conception diplomacy is a component of defense and that no distinction should be made between the battlefield and the diplomatic arena.

On Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Iran and the topics discussed, Baghaei said Iran has not deviated from its principled positions, which he said align with the country's national interests. He said the visit takes place within the framework of ongoing consultations between the two countries and that the ratification of a strategic partnership agreement covers a broad spectrum of issues. During the meeting, he said, the focus was on all matters serving the interests of both countries, with regional and international issues as well as the nuclear dossier among the topics addressed. Baghaei also said Iran has not entered into negotiations with the American side. He stated that any renewed aggression against Iran will not go unanswered. According to Mehr News, the report was being updated at the time of publication.