Thread by @DropSiteNews

🧵THREAD: Full Remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday:

🔹 “Over the course of one year, we went through two very severe wars. That is a reality. After the 12-day war, I think they concluded that perhaps they had not sufficiently prepared their capabilities. Perhaps they realized they first needed to target what they saw as our greatest strength, which is our social cohesion. They made preparations and got themselves ready for a bigger war. In the meantime, we experienced the events of the 18th of Dey [January 7-8], and then we faced the 40-day war, in which they imagined that this time they could finally, in their delusion, finish the job. But instead, they encountered extremely courageous and steadfast resistance from Iran, from Iran’s armed forces, and from the Iranian people.”

🔹 “When I use the word ‘steadfast,’ I do so deliberately. Just a couple of days ago, one Western official said, ‘We did not believe that the Iranian people, or Iran itself, could be this steadfast and resist this stubbornly.’”

🔹 “This steadfastness and resistance, throughout the 40 days of war and afterward during the ceasefire up to the present, is first and foremost owed to our armed forces, who made enormous sacrifices. This has been said many times, but truly every one of us owes a debt to our armed forces and to the martyrs of our armed forces, who gave their lives in sacrifice.”

🔹 “Likewise, we owe a debt to the people, who during this entire period never for a single moment abandoned the armed forces, the officials, or the country as a whole. Every night they were in the streets, and every day they were present in the field. They endured shortages and hardships with resilience and perseverance, and they remained engaged. That is why it is right to speak of a kind of national awakening, even a kind of rebirth.”

Remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Special News Talk Program / Part 2

🔹 “And after all of these come diplomacy and our diplomats. During this period, our diplomats have sought, first and foremost, to be the rightful voice of the Iranian people on the world stage, to defend the interests of the Iranian people, and at the same time to stand alongside and support the armed forces in their resistance and the actions they have undertaken.”

🔹 “The discussion of the battlefield and diplomacy has always been a very serious one. I have always said that there is truly no duality or contradiction between them. Some speak of the ‘unity’ of the two, but I say not simply unity, rather a oneness between them. They move in the same direction, each from within a different trench.”

🔹 “I have always believed there is also a third pillar, and that is the media. In other words, the battlefield, diplomacy, and the media all move together. But this time, a fourth pillar was added: the street. By ‘the street,’ I mean the manifestation of popular participation and the presence of the people. These four pillars moved together.”

🔹 “The duty of diplomacy is to support the battlefield and to consolidate the achievements made on the battlefield.”

🎥 Remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Special News Talk Program / Part 3

🔹 “I think our commanders and friends in the armed forces will testify to the close relationship and coordination between the Foreign Ministry and the armed forces. We moved forward alongside them. Negotiation and the negotiator rely on strength on the battlefield. Negotiations without battlefield strength do not produce results.”

🔹 “The Islamic Republic of Iran truly emerged victorious on the battlefield, and Iran has come out of this difficult confrontation as the winner. Today, the world sees Iran and the Iranian people as a hero and as something remarkable.”

🔹 “We have achieved a strategic victory, and naturally it is at such a moment that the war should end on the basis of an agreement that consolidates that victory. Therefore, one of our principal missions has been to pursue an understanding and an agreement that secures and preserves the victory of the Iranian people, and we have worked to open that path.”

🔹 “Responsibility for the negotiations has been entrusted to my esteemed brother, Dr. Ghalibaf, and the Foreign Ministry and other institutions are at his service. We began a process that is now approaching its conclusion, the result of which is a 14-point memorandum of understanding.”

🎥 Remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Special News Talk Program / Part 4

🔹 “The media is discussing this memorandum of understanding, but I would prefer that its details not be made public until it has been finalized, because changes could still be made up until the very last moment. Once it is finalized, I promise that I will explain the details to the people.”

🔹 “These negotiations, which led to the end of the war, were designed in two stages. The first stage is the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States. The second stage will be negotiations aimed at reaching a final agreement. The nuclear issue has been deferred to this second stage and will be addressed as part of the final agreement.”

🎥 Remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Special News Talk Program / Part 5

🔹 “The Islamabad memorandum of understanding provides for the end of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon. We have never forgotten Lebanon during this war, because Lebanon and Hezbollah fought alongside the Iranian people, and we will never abandon them. The ceasefire that was announced was a ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon.”

🔹 “Under this understanding, the war will come to an end on every front, including in Lebanon, and a commitment will be made that no party will initiate another war or resort to threats and the use of force.”

🔹 “The issue of the Strait of Hormuz is also included in the memorandum of understanding. The lifting of sanctions and the issue of reconstruction are addressed within the framework of a reconstruction and economic development plan, the mechanisms for which will be agreed upon during the subsequent negotiations.

🔹There is also a defined mechanism regarding Iran’s blocked funds. These are among the issues covered by the memorandum and will be agreed upon in the first stage. Once it is finalized and signed, I will certainly explain all the details, clause by clause and word by word.”

🎥 Remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Special News Talk Program / Part 6

🔹 “I must state clearly that this agreement has enemies, and at the head of them is the Zionist regime, which is looking for any pretext it can find to derail it.”

🔹 “In recent days, various texts have been published by media outlets and websites, with each side making different claims. The situation is similar across the region. Therefore, both the Americans and we have stated that none of these texts has any official validity, and these media speculations cannot be confirmed. I recommend that we allow a sense of calm to prevail in the country so that we can achieve the best agreement possible.”

🔹 “When we move toward an agreement, we must remember that negotiation and agreement are a two-sided process. An agreement can only be reached when both sides arrive at a certain level of satisfaction.”

🎥 Remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Special News Talk Program / Part 7

🔹 “Over the past 72 hours, we have witnessed threats being made against Iran, and there has been an effort to create an atmosphere of psychological and political pressure. We responded to this immediately through a Foreign Ministry statement, an official tweet, statements by the armed forces, and both direct and indirect messages. Experience has shown that threats are not only ineffective, but they actually delay the process of reaching a possible agreement. Therefore, the threats must stop, and dialogue must be conducted in a language of respect if an agreement is to be achieved.”

🔹 “The Iranian nation has shown that it will never surrender to pressure or coercion. If threats and pressure were capable of succeeding, Iran would have backed down long ago.”

🔹 “Our position is clear: if we were going to submit to force and pressure, we would have done so already. Very clear messages have been delivered to the other side that threats have the opposite effect. If you seek an understanding, change your language. But if you choose the path of threats, pressure, or war, Iran is prepared and capable of responding.”

🎥 Remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Special News Talk Program / Part 8

🔹 “Some friends have raised questions or expressed concerns about the guarantees behind this agreement. I would say, first of all, that I believe the Islamic Republic of Iran, through the 12-day war, the 40-day war, and then its steadfastness during the ceasefire and its confrontation with the naval blockade, has demonstrated its strength in such a way that no one will ever again even think of provoking the Iranian people or challenging the Islamic Republic.”

🔹 “We rely on no one to guarantee our security except the eternal essence of God, our own people, and the capabilities of our armed forces. We have proven this in practice, and I am confident that we have established a complete deterrent that will endure for years to come, one that will prevent anyone from even contemplating aggression against Iran.”

🔹 “The Strait of Hormuz now serves as one of our most important instruments of deterrence. Likewise, our actions across the region. No one expected us to expand the war across the region in the way we did, in a region where the United States has an extensive military presence, and where they nevertheless proved unable to confront us.”

🔹 “Therefore, we have created an inherent guarantee for our own security and to ensure that those dealing with us remain committed to their obligations. As for this particular memorandum of understanding, we are in a unique position because after it is signed, a 60-day negotiation process for the main and nuclear agreement will begin. If the commitments contained in the memorandum are not implemented, then the final agreement will not move forward. That in itself creates a guarantee that the other side will abide by the provisions of the memorandum.”

🎥 Remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Special News Talk Program / Part 9

🔹 “The Strait of Hormuz falls under the sovereignty of Iran and Oman. The waters of the strait lie within the territorial waters of these two countries, and for many years Iran and Oman have ensured the security and safety of navigation there, designated shipping lanes, protected the environment, and provided search-and-rescue services.”

🔹 “Up to now, these services have been provided free of charge. But it is the definitive decision of the Islamic Republic of Iran that the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz will be different from the past. Iran’s sovereignty has always existed, exists today, and will continue to exist in the future, but the management of maritime traffic and the provision of services will no longer be conducted as they were before.”

🔹 “On this issue, we have held close consultations with Oman as our principal partner and have reached good results. Joint plans and joint statements will be announced soon. Numerous expert-level meetings have also been held with regional countries and other interested parties, including China. According to existing estimates, around 40 percent of ship traffic through the strait is connected to China, and because of its economic importance, the necessary consultations with that country have also begun.”

🔹 “The presence of Iran’s armed forces in the Strait of Hormuz will always be maintained and will remain the guarantor of the region’s security. Our sword will always hang over the Strait of Hormuz. That is certain, and things will be different from the past.”

🔹 “What is important for us is that the future system for administering the Strait of Hormuz clearly establishes who is responsible for it, and that the cost of these services will no longer be free. It is important that this principle be firmly established. God willing, you will see that the agreement stipulates that services in the Strait of Hormuz will carry a cost, and that the future administration of the strait will differ from the past, with Iran carrying it out.”

🔹 “The very first issue addressed in this agreement is the complete lifting of the American naval blockade.”

🎥 Remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Special News Talk Program / Part 10

🔹 “Under the memorandum of understanding, Iran’s frozen assets will be unfrozen, and none of those assets will be subject to re-freezing in the future.”

🔹 “The agreement also includes an economic plan for rebuilding the damage inflicted on Iran. I hope that once it is finalized, state television will invite economic experts to discuss the details and explain to the public what will happen and how, through this process, substantial resources will be injected into the Iranian economy.”

🎥 Remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Special News Talk Program / Part 11

🔹 “As soon as we complete the final stages of the negotiations, the agreement will be signed and announced. At this first stage, the signing will take place in what people these days call a ‘digital’ format. Each side will sign remotely, after which it will be announced that the memorandum of understanding has been signed by both parties, and that will conclude the process.”

🔹 “As I requested in my tweet today, I urge the media to refrain from speculation that could create confusion or undermine this opportunity, because we are closer to an understanding than ever before. It could happen within the next day or two, or it could happen within the next several days.”

🎥 Remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Special News Talk Program / Part 12

🔹 “The preconditions for the ceasefire, as laid out in the Supreme National Security Council’s statement, were fulfilled at the appropriate time. The Supreme National Security Council has exercised full oversight over the ceasefire, the negotiations, and the memorandum of understanding.”

🎥 Remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Special News Talk Program / Part 13

🔹 “As someone directly involved in the negotiation process, I can assure you that, at the level of the Foreign Ministry, the responsibilities entrusted to us have been carried out with the utmost precision, care, and caution.”

🔹 “Although this memorandum of understanding is only about two pages, or perhaps a page and a half, in length, it has been under negotiation for more than two months. Every clause and every sentence has been reviewed repeatedly. Reports have been submitted in a timely manner to the Supreme National Security Council and the security institutions, and the armed forces have also overseen key issues, including the Strait of Hormuz and the end of the war.”

🔹 “The result of this work is a positive outcome for the interests of the Iranian people, one that consolidates the country’s battlefield victories. It also strengthens the presence and authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran on both the domestic and international stages.”

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