FM Araghchi Labels Trump’s Comments on Iran in Riyadh as Misleading

In a statement following a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday, Araghchi addressed reporters, expressing his disappointment over what he described as a deceptive perspective presented in the US President’s remarks last night.

During a speech in Riyadh on Tuesday, Trump highlighted the stark differences between Iran’s economic state under sanctions and the development in Saudi Arabia, which he praised for transforming arid deserts into thriving farmland. He extended an offer to Tehran for a “new path, and a much better path, toward a far better and more hopeful future.”

Araghchi commented that Trump’s remarks regarding the regional countries’ aspiration for progress and prosperity align with the path chosen by the Iranian people through their revolution, which aimed to establish an independent, democratic, free, prosperous, and advanced nation.

The United States has hindered the advancement of the Iranian nation for more than four decades through the imposition of sanctions, various pressures, and both military and civilian threats.

The economic difficulties are attributed to the United States and its assertive policies, which have been imposed upon the Iranian nation, requiring a subservient and compliant system that conflicts with the dignity of the Iranian populace, he stated.

Araghchi addressed Trump’s latest threat to impose “massive maximum pressure” on Iran, depicting the country as a “source of insecurity” during his speech at the Saudi-American investment forum in Riyadh.

He stated that Trump has overlooked Israel’s actions in the region while attempting to present Iran as a threat, a move he described as sheer deception and a reversal of the true origins of threats.

The US is accused of ignoring Israel’s actions in the region while attempting to cast Iran as the primary threat. Such a stance is described as deceptive and a misallocation of security concerns. Questions have been raised concerning which regime is responsible for the deaths of 60,000 individuals in Gaza.

Araghchi has raised concerns over recent events in the Middle East, questioning the extent of devastation inflicted upon Gaza and the actions of the Zionist regime in regions encompassing Palestine, including Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. He highlighted that the occupation of Syrian territory in recent months has surpassed the total area of Gaza.

The Zionist regime has subjected the population in Gaza to an economic blockade, a situation that is often overlooked. Meanwhile, efforts are being made to depict Iran as a regional threat, diverting attention away from the primary danger. However, these attempts are expected to fall short.

During his initial tenure, Trump pulled the United States out of a prior accord concerning Iran’s nuclear program and initiated a so-called maximum pressure campaign against the nation.

Trump reinstated that policy upon his return to the White House for a second term in January. However, he has since indicated a readiness to negotiate a new agreement to supplant the 2015 accord, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

On March 12, Trump dispatched a letter to the leadership of Iran, proposing negotiations to forge a new agreement and cautioning that military action could follow if Tehran declined. Iran has dismissed the possibility of direct negotiations with the United States under coercion and threats but has indicated that indirect discussions remain a possibility.

Facilitated by Oman, Iran and the United States conducted four sessions of discussions in Muscat and Rome on April 12, 19, 26, and May 11, aiming to finalize an agreement concerning Iran’s nuclear program.

Both parties have conveyed their satisfaction with the progression of the negotiations, lauding the discussions as “positive” and “moving forward.”