Lebanon Ceasefire an Inseparable Component of Any Final Agreement
WANA (Jun 01) – Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated during his weekly press briefing on Monday that a permanent ceasefire in Lebanon remains a non-negotiable, inseparable component of any final agreement to end the ongoing regional conflict.
Baghaei addressed a wide range of foreign policy issues, including stalled indirect negotiations with the United States, recent maritime tensions, and diplomatic friction with neighboring Persian Gulf states.
Severe Distrust Plagues U.S.-Iran Talks
Responding to inquiries regarding the primary obstacles in current indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington, Baghaei emphasized that the talks are being conducted under an atmosphere of profound suspicion.
He remarked that Iran had known from the very beginning that negotiations were occurring in an environment devoid of trust, adding that diplomacy cannot act as a substitute for hard power.
The spokesperson dismissed recent conflicting public statements from Washington regarding the naval blockade of Iran—where President Trump and defense officials gave contradicting reports—as a sign of domestic disarray.
Trump’s Claims Regarding the Agreement with Iran; Distortion of Reality or Inversion of Facts?
WANA (May 29) – Informed sources, while rejecting the fresh claims of the U.S. President regarding a potential agreement with Iran, have described his statements as “a mixture of truth and lies” and an attempt to display a fabricated victory. According to these sources, it has become clear to almost everyone that these claims lack […]
He noted that such contradictions do not work against Iran and likely stem from confusion within the U.S. governing system. He urged Washington to resolve its indecisiveness and reach a clear decision, stating that Iran remains focused solely on its national interests.
Furthermore, Baghaei noted that recent ceasefire violations by the U.S. further intensify Iran’s justified suspicion. He argued that these actions violate the UN Charter, thereby granting Iran the legal right to take reciprocal defensive measures, which included targeting the origin of recent aggression.
Nuclear Program Not Up for Discussion
Baghaei firmly denied that the nuclear issue is part of the active diplomatic track, directly countering recent assertions by U.S. officials. He stated that whenever it becomes necessary to take action regarding Iran’s nuclear program, Tehran knows exactly how to proceed. He clarified that no negotiations are taking place regarding the nuclear issue at this stage, as the sole focus of the current talks is ending the war.
Regarding a rumored $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran, Baghaei confirmed that postwar reparations are part of the broader 14-point framework proposed by Tehran.
He explained that if an agreement on the general principles is reached, specific details would be ironed out within a 30 to 60-day window. He added that Iran is not seeking special privileges but is rather pursuing the fundamental rights of its citizens.
Baghaei: Understanding Between Iran and U.S. Not Yet Finalized
WANA (May 29) – The spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baghaei, stated that the exchange of messages with the United States is ongoing and an understanding has not yet been finalized. Addressing recent remarks by the U.S. President suggesting that Iran “must” open the Strait of Hormuz, Baghaei remarked that […]
Negotiating Framework and Regional Diplomacy
The spokesperson clarified the diplomatic channels of the current talks, noting that Pakistan is acting as the primary mediator, while other regional countries, including Qatar, have provided assistance.
He expressed gratitude for Qatar’s good offices and described a recent visit by the Iranian negotiating team to Qatar as positive and useful, noting that the trip covered various aspects of the war-termination framework and the issue of Iran’s blocked assets.
On bilateral ties, Baghaei praised Iran’s multifaceted relationship with China across trade, economic, and diplomatic sectors. He stated that the appointment of Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as a special representative would undoubtedly play a positive role in advancing political and economic programs between Tehran and Beijing.
Warnings to Regional Neighbors and Kuwait
The spokesperson issued a stern warning to regional countries that have permitted their territory or airspace to be utilized for military operations against Iran.
He warned that violating good neighborly commitments would place those states directly alongside the aggressors, urging neighboring nations to learn from the events of the past few months and reject the military presence of the U.S. and Israel.
IRGC Retaliates Against Launch Site Following U.S. Strike on Sirik Island Telecom Tower
WANA (Jun 01) – The Public Relations department of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced in a statement that its Aerospace Force has targeted the military base from which an attack on Iranian infrastructure was launched. According to the statement, the operation was executed in response to a strike carried out hours earlier […]
Baghaei also addressed reports regarding the alleged direct involvement of the United Arab Emirates in attacks against Iran, stating that Tehran maintains its own independent assessment of regional actors and views Western media reports designed to deepen regional divisions with skepticism.
Additionally, Baghaei addressed the recent detention of four Iranian nationals by Kuwait, labeling the arrests unjustified. He stated that Iran expects Kuwaiti authorities to clarify their status immediately and grant consular access to the Iranian embassy, rather than allowing the issue to cause severe resentment between the two nations.
Condemning Israel and the West
Baghaei mentioned Israel’s ongoing military campaigns in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon, while criticizing the United Nations Security Council for remaining a passive bystander. He warned that international appeasement of these actions would carry severe consequences for global peace.
He also rejected recent criticism from the European Union regarding Iran’s retaliatory strikes, stating the EU’s stance undermines its own claims of upholding international law and demonstrates that the bloc has no intention of acting as a responsible, independent global player.
Iran Warns NATO Against Hormuz Intervention, Denounces U.S. ‘Piracy’
Baghaei addressed recent remarks by NATO officials regarding the potential deployment of military forces to the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any move risking the further destabilization of the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz would be highly unwise.
Baghaei Reacts to U.S. Piracy Admission
WANA (May 03) – Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has issued a response to recent comments made by the U.S. President concerning the seizure of Iranian vessels. In a statement shared on X, Baghaei asserted that the President of the United States had openly characterized the unlawful seizure of Iranian ships as “piracy” […]
He asserted that no responsible or rational global actor would take such a risk, noting that if NATO and its member states truly wished to fulfill their responsibilities, they had to hold the United States and Israel accountable as the root causes of the current situation. He emphasized that normal transit had flowed through the Strait of Hormuz prior to military aggression by the U.S. and Israel.
Baghaei maintained that Iran, as a primary littoral state of the strait, was fully entitled and authorized to implement necessary measures to safeguard its national security and territorial integrity. He attributed the escalation over recent weeks to illegal actions by the United States and its interference with international shipping.
New Maritime Security Mechanism with Oman Planned
Regarding the long-term management of the strategic waterway, the spokesperson announced that Tehran intended to draft a joint mechanism with the other littoral state of the strait—Oman—to ensure the safety of international transit.
He explained that this framework would guarantee that the waterway was not exploited by foreign entities to harm Iran’s national security, while also addressing navigation services and critical environmental protection, noting that the region’s marine environment had suffered severe degradation.
He reiterated that the goal was to ensure the Strait of Hormuz served the interests of the international community while preventing it from being used to compromise Iranian sovereignty.
Strait of Hormuz Mining Remains Shrouded in Ambiguity
WANA (May 31) – Despite several months having passed since the outbreak of the Ramadan War and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. armed forces remain uncertain about the presence of naval mines in the strategic waterway and have yet to reach a definitive conclusion. U.S. media outlet NBC has unveiled […]
Turning to American claims concerning six Iranian vessels, Baghaei characterized the seizure of Iranian commercial shipping as a textbook example of piracy.
He stated that the U.S. had openly admitted to acting in the manner of pirates, an approach that defied all standards of international law and constituted a gross violation of ceasefire terms. He affirmed that Iran had already taken, and would continue to take, all necessary defensive steps to protect its rights and interests.
Clarification on ‘Snapback’ Mechanism in Draft Talks
When questioned whether a “snapback” sanctions mechanism had been incorporated into the potential agreement currently under negotiation between Iran and the United States, Baghaei clarified that no such clause existed.
He explained that discussions remained confined to the general principles and that the 14-point framework merely outlined the broad headers of a potential understanding.
While the draft included a provision to eventually anchor any finalized agreement within a UN Security Council resolution for legal coverage, Baghaei emphasized that Tehran did not view a UN resolution as a definitive guarantee.
He noted that Iran would heavily factor in its past experiences, specifically referencing how the United States had previously violated a binding resolution under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.
Mossad Linked to Past Unrest
Baghaei also commented on recent reports regarding the involvement of Israel’s intelligence agency, the Mossad, in past civil unrest in Iran. He stated that official Iranian investigations had long concluded that foreign entities were the driving forces behind the tragic events of December.
He stated that these findings provided further evidence that the Israeli regime and the United States would spare no effort to undermine Iran’s national interests.
Baghaei Dismisses EU Demands on Iranian Missile Program
Turning to European criticisms regarding Iran’s defensive capabilities, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson dismissed Western demands concerning Tehran’s missile program, stating that European officials needed to update their outdated perspectives.
He emphasized that Iran had long made it clear that it was unwilling to negotiate or even engage in media discussions regarding matters directly tied to its national defense.
Ghalibaf: We Secure Concessions with Missiles, Not Dialogue
WANA (May 29) – Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has laid out a stark, uncompromising three-point doctrine governing Iran’s approach toward potential negotiations with the United States. In a public statement shared on social media, shown in image_e2c95e.jpg, the legislative leader clarified Tehran’s baseline strategy, emphasizing military leverage over traditional […]
Baghaei added that European parties needed to direct their grievances toward the United States and the Israeli regime instead, maintaining that the current destabilization of the region was entirely the byproduct of their aggressive actions.
Baghaei Condemns Abraham Accords
Baghaei strongly criticized the Abraham Accords during his press briefing, characterizing the regional normalization agreements as a framework designed to validate occupation, colonialism, and genocide in occupied Palestine.
He noted that the region was unfortunately witnessing the destructive consequences of this process, adding that neighboring states, by learning from the experiences of the past few years, had undoubtedly concluded that the initiative merely served the aggressive agenda of the Israeli regime and could never bring genuine security to the region.
Condemning the Attack on the Female Dormitory in the Ukraine Conflict
Responding to a separate inquiry, the spokesperson explicitly condemned a recent attack attributed to Ukrainian forces targeting a female student dormitory, labeling it a clear war crime that defied all legal and moral standards.
Baghaei called out Western nations for what he described as persistent double standards in handling international humanitarian law, stating that European countries—which typically adopt highly stringent stances on similar incidents—needed to display consistent principles rather than resorting to hypocritical and selective approaches to human rights.
Fordow: A Target for a Tactical Nuclear Bomb?
WANA (Jul 11) – A member of Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission has spoken of an incident which, if true, would mark a turning point in Iran’s regional security dynamics: the use of a tactical nuclear bomb against the Fordow nuclear facility. Abolfazl Zohrevand has claimed that the recent U.S.-Israeli strike on […]
Baghaei Rejects Nuclear Bomb Claims
When asked by a reporter whether Iran had sought to acquire a nuclear weapon, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei rejected the notion, stating that Tehran’s stance on its nuclear program remained entirely transparent.
He argued that the continuous repetition of assertions that Iran should not pursue nuclear weapons could not alter the reality that Iran’s nuclear program was strictly peaceful.
He noted that all necessary conditions and mechanisms to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities had already been thoroughly outlined in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The spokesperson accused American officials of repeatedly making groundless statements purely to appease the Israeli regime, placing those assertions alongside what he described as the frequently repeated lie regarding the threat of an Iranian atomic bomb.
Dismissing Grossi’s Comments on Uranium Transfer
Addressing recent remarks by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi regarding a potential transfer of Iran’s enriched uranium to Kazakhstan, Baghaei stated that inquiries regarding the motivation behind those comments should be directed to Grossi himself.
Grossi: As an NPT Member, Iran Has the Right to Enrich Uranium
WANA (Feb 12) – Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has stated that Iran, as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has the right to enrich uranium, provided that such activities are carried out under comprehensive monitoring and full access for IAEA inspectors. Speaking to the Financial […]
He remarked that the IAEA chief occasionally liked to capture media attention, reiterating that Iran was not engaged in any active talks regarding the nuclear issue at that stage.
Regarding the ongoing indirect negotiations with the United States and the continuous exchange of draft amendments, the spokesperson explained that the process was dynamic and continuous rather than a simple back-and-forth exchange of single revisions.
He attributed the length of the process to evolving perspectives, confirming that Iran consistently conveyed its own specific viewpoints and observations regarding every proposed modification.
Logistics of Potential Pact and Military Readiness
Baghaei stated that the indirect format of the talks had never been the primary obstacle to reaching an agreement. He argued that if the opposing side had possessed seriousness and a baseline level of good faith—not toward Iran, but toward advancing a diplomatic process—the distinction between direct and indirect formats would not have hindered progress.
He confirmed that the exchange of messages was ongoing and that a final conclusion had not yet been reached, adding that the specific protocol for a potential signing ceremony would be announced only when that stage arrived.
The spokesperson emphasized Iran’s comprehensive defense preparations for any potential contingency. He stated that the measures taken by Tehran to defend the nation’s sovereignty would become clear on the battlefield when necessary.
He noted that operating in the region required constant readiness for any scenario, assuring that the Iranian armed forces maintained full combat readiness and were entirely prepared to respond to any development.
