WANA (Aug 18) – Iran’s Foreign Minister, offering new details on back-channel negotiations and a geopolitical analysis of the war, has reported a shift in regional countries’ perspectives on security architecture and the ineffectiveness of foreign forces.

 

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, in a strategic interview, announced that the recent 40-day war has fundamentally transformed security equations in the Persian Gulf. He stressed that regional countries have clearly realized that foreign forces and their military bases not only fail to provide security but have become “factors disrupting stability.”

 

Araghchi offered a notable analysis, stating: “Countries in the region that did not host US military bases emerged in better shape and suffered less from the war’s adverse effects, whereas foreign bases in practice supported the Zionist regime and failed to defend their host nations.” He described this as a turning point in redefining regional collective security and underscored the necessity of linking economic dimensions with sustainable security.

 

Negotiation Details: From a “15-Article Document” to a “14-Article Memorandum of Understanding”

For the first time, the Foreign Minister laid out a precise timeline of the diplomatic process with the US. He said the initial American proposal arrived around March 13 or 14 in the form of a 15-article text, which he described as “effectively a surrender document.” After three months of negotiations marked by numerous ups and downs, the process ultimately culminated in the signing of a 14-article memorandum of understanding on June 15. Araghchi, pointing to this shift in content, emphasized that comparing the two documents reveals a complete reversal of the balance at the negotiating table.

 

He described the role of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in this process as “decisive,” stating that Pezeshkian personally insisted on appointing Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf as head of the negotiating team and attended all sessions—including specialized committee meetings—guiding the direction throughout.

 

Practical Cooperation from Neighbors During the Crisis

Araghchi, referring to the mediation roles of Qatar and Pakistan in communications with the US, also disclosed practical cooperation from other neighbors. He said countries in Central Asia, the Caucasus, Turkey, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan played effective roles in supplying pharmaceutical goods and allowing passage for Iranians stranded during the crisis. He described provincial diplomacy as an initiative that, during the maritime blockade, met the country’s minimum needs through border provinces and local channels.

 

The Foreign Minister stated that for 40 days, Iran withstood “the world’s strongest apparent military, which possesses nuclear weapons, and another army that also has nuclear arms”—all while lacking air defense systems. He cited this as evidence of the “complete collapse of the image of a weak Iran,” adding that the image now is one of a “tenacious and resilient Iran.”

 

Supremacy of Iran’s Public Diplomacy in Global Narrative-Shaping

Araghchi, noting feedback from Western media, observed that they have acknowledged Iran’s public diplomacy during the war—particularly through embassy activities in cyberspace—proved “more impactful than the entirety of Western media” and influenced the international media landscape. He also emphasized that no diplomat abroad, despite immense pressure, abandoned their post—a factor that contributed to building diplomatic trust.

 

In conclusion, Araghchi referred to Pezeshkian’s trans-regional vision for establishing a union of Islamic countries and pilgrimage routes connecting holy sites. He stated that Iran’s post-war foreign policy will be built on the foundation of a “strong Iran,” with self-confidence and active pursuit of national interests, and that the Foreign Ministry will continue engaging with the world with authority and resolve.