WANA (Jun 28) – Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said no country or international body other than the Islamic Republic of Iran bears responsibility for managing the Strait of Hormuz, urging all parties to refrain from interfering in the implementation of arrangements outlined in the Iran-U.S. memorandum of understanding.

 

Speaking at a joint press conference with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Baghdad, Araghchi said his visit comes under exceptional circumstances, following what he described as the U.S. and Israeli “aggression” against Iran and the Iranian people’s 40-day resistance during the war.

 

He said the first objective of his visit was to thank the Iraqi government and people for their support and principled stance in condemning the attacks on Iran. The second objective, he added, was to meet senior Iraqi officials, congratulate Prime Minister Ali Al-Sudani on the formation of the new government, and congratulate Fuad Hussein on remaining in his post as foreign minister.

 

Araghchi said Iran is determined to expand cooperation with Iraq across political, economic, security, cultural, and other fields, just as it has done with previous Iraqi governments. He added that he would convey congratulations from Iran’s president and the Leader of the Islamic Revolution during his meetings with Iraqi officials.

 

 

The foreign minister said another key purpose of the visit is to coordinate the funeral procession of the late Leader of the Islamic Revolution in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad, Kadhimiya, Karbala, and Najaf.

 

He said Iraqi authorities had expressed readiness to host the ceremonies and that, through the Iraqi government’s planning and cooperation, it was decided that the funeral procession would be held in Iraq’s holy shrine cities.

Joint Press Conference of the Foreign Ministers of Iran and Iraq

“We are very grateful to the Iraqi government and to the prime minister for establishing a special committee to organize these ceremonies,” Araghchi said. “Today we will hold meetings with that committee to finalize the necessary coordination so that this major event is conducted with full dignity.”

 

He said the visit would also include a review of bilateral relations, noting that Iran and Iraq enjoy broad cooperation in economic, political, and security fields. Araghchi described his talks with Fuad Hussein as productive and said they discussed all of these issues.

 

He emphasized that the strategic relationship between Iran and Iraq is highly valuable and that Tehran remains committed to further strengthening bilateral ties.

 

Araghchi said he also briefed his Iraqi counterpart on the latest developments regarding the war imposed on Iran, the negotiations that followed, and the memorandum of understanding signed between Iran and the United States.

 

According to Araghchi, the two ministers also discussed recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz and Lebanon.

 

He said that under the memorandum of understanding, the Strait of Hormuz will return to its pre-war operating capacity within 30 days after Iran removes the remaining obstacles. He stressed that the implementation of these arrangements is solely the responsibility of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Joint Press Conference of the Foreign Ministers of Iran and Iraq

“No other entity or country has any responsibility regarding the management of the Strait of Hormuz,” Araghchi said.

 

He added that, under the memorandum signed by Iran and the United States, any interference in this process or attempts to establish alternative arrangements contrary to those being implemented by Iran would only complicate the situation, delay the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and increase tensions.

 

Referring to overnight incidents in the Strait of Hormuz that led to renewed tensions and clashes, Araghchi called on all parties not to interfere in Iran’s management of the waterway and to adhere to the signed memorandum so that the agreement remains on course.

 

The Iranian foreign minister also referred to Article 1 of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, which calls for an end to hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon. He said the agreement requires Israel to end its occupation in Lebanon and that responsibility for ensuring implementation rests with the United States.

 

Araghchi further said he and Fuad Hussein discussed the future regional security architecture, noting that the recent war had demonstrated the need for a new regional security framework for the Persian Gulf based on cooperation among regional countries without interference from extra-regional powers.

 

He welcomed Fuad Hussein’s proposal for dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council member states, Iran, and Iraq in a “6+2” format, saying Tehran is in contact with Baghdad on the initiative.

 

Iraq Ready to Work With Iran and U.S. to End the War

For his part, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said the war, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and the suspension of Iraqi oil exports have had a significant impact on Iraq’s financial and economic situation.

Joint Press Conference of the Foreign Ministers of Iran and Iraq

He said he had discussed the issue with Araghchi, stressing that Iraq believes the agreements between Iran and the United States should be successfully implemented.

 

“The Strait of Hormuz should be reopened, and the naval blockade imposed on Iran should also be lifted,” Hussein said.

 

He added that the two sides also discussed relations with the Gulf states and stressed that Iraq opposes any expansion of the conflict in the region.

 

“From the outset, we opposed the aggression against Iran because we believe this war would lead to the destruction of the entire region, not merely one particular country,” he said.

 

Hussein emphasized that regional security should be guaranteed by the countries of the region themselves, noting that Iraq is prepared to host the upcoming Gulf Cooperation Council summit.

 

Addressing Iran-U.S. relations and the recent understandings, the Iraqi foreign minister said Baghdad maintains good relations with both Washington and Tehran and has longstanding ties with neighboring Iran.

 

“For this reason, we are ready to cooperate with both sides to help end the war, and that remains our priority,” he said.

 

Araghchi, Iraqi Foreign Minister Discuss Bilateral Ties and Regional Developments

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, prior to this conference, met on Sunday morning with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi met with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on Jun 28, 2026. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi met with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on Jun 28, 2026. Social media/ WANA News Agency

During the meeting, Araghchi thanked the Iraqi government for what he described as its responsible stance and expressed appreciation for the support shown by various segments of the Iraqi people for Iran following the U.S. and Israeli military attacks against the country.

 

He described relations between Tehran and Baghdad as “exceptional” and reaffirmed the Iranian leadership’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation across all areas of mutual interest.

 

Congratulating Iraq on the formation of its new government, Araghchi expressed hope that cooperation between Iran and Iraq would expand further in the political, economic, trade, cultural, security, and people-to-people fields under the leadership of both countries.

 

The Iranian foreign minister also thanked the Iraqi government for its cooperation in facilitating broad public participation in the funeral ceremonies for the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, describing the support as a reflection of the deep historical, cultural, and religious ties between the two nations.

 

For his part, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein emphasized the need to establish new regional security mechanisms with the participation of all countries in the region, describing such an initiative as an important step toward confidence-building and creating a sustainable, regionally driven security framework.

 

The two foreign ministers also reviewed the latest regional and international developments, including the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, the implementation of the agreement ending Israel’s military operations against Lebanon, developments following the signing of the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States, and the latest progress in ongoing negotiations.

 

Both sides stressed the importance of all parties adhering to the commitments contained in the memorandum of understanding, saying its full implementation is essential to consolidating peace, reducing tensions, and strengthening regional stability and security.

 

The ministers also reviewed the current state of bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields, emphasizing the importance of continued political consultations, expanded economic and trade cooperation, closer people-to-people ties, and broader collaboration across areas of shared interest. They reaffirmed the joint determination of Tehran and Baghdad to further strengthen their strategic partnership.

 

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said in a post on X following his meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi that he had hosted the Iranian foreign minister in Baghdad for official talks on bilateral relations and regional developments.

 

Hussein said Iraq believes direct dialogue and communication among regional countries are essential to addressing common challenges, strengthening security and stability, and advancing diplomacy in the interests of the region’s peoples.