WANA (Apr 09) – Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has described the upcoming round of negotiations in Muscat as a new opportunity for diplomacy and a test of Washington’s seriousness, citing the United States’ long-standing record of unilateralism and broken commitments.

 

Araghchi made the remarks on Tuesday evening during a meeting with Algerian intellectuals, media figures, and cultural activists, held as part of his visit to Algiers for high-level discussions on bilateral relations and regional developments.

 

During the session, the Iranian Foreign Minister outlined the country’s principled positions on key foreign policy matters, including unwavering support for the Palestinian resistance and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. He also addressed the Iranian nuclear issue in detail.

 

Referring to the eight-decade occupation of Palestinian land and what he described as a colonial plan to erase the Palestinian nation, Araghchi condemned the unprecedented killing and genocide in Gaza and the West Bank over the past 17 months. He further criticized Israel’s ongoing aggression against Lebanon and Syria and its role, alongside the United States, in military operations against Yemen.

 

Araghchi stressed that supporting the legitimate resistance of the Palestinian and Lebanese people is both a legal and moral obligation for all governments. “The experience of the past eight decades shows that resistance is the only path to confronting the expansionism and warmongering of the Zionist regime,” he said.

 

He also delivered a scathing critique of the United States and several Western countries for their role in the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, accusing them of complicity through military, financial, and political support for the Israeli regime. He emphasized the urgent need for unity among Islamic nations in defense of Palestine and other Muslim countries under attack.

 

On Iran’s nuclear program, Araghchi reiterated Tehran’s responsible approach to transparency, which had culminated in the 2015 nuclear agreement (JCPOA) before Washington’s “illegal” withdrawal. He emphasized Iran’s readiness for indirect talks with the U.S., noting that the upcoming negotiations in Muscat would serve as a “new opportunity for diplomacy” and a benchmark for assessing America’s sincerity.

 

In response to a question from a media participant about the agenda for any indirect talks with the U.S., Araghchi stressed that the nuclear issue — specifically, verifying the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of “unjust” sanctions — is the sole subject of discussion.

 

The session concluded with participants sharing views and raising concerns on regional and international issues, especially the genocide in Palestine. They called for urgent and decisive global and Islamic action to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and the West Bank and to hold Israeli leaders accountable.