WANA (May 22) – The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran stated: “The more successful we are in neutralizing sanctions, the more discouraged the sanctioning countries become, and this benefits us in negotiations. If they were certain that sanctions would bring us to our knees, they wouldn’t come to the table. The resilience of the Iranian people and the capabilities of our traders and businessmen have prevented the sanctions from having a paralyzing effect.”

 

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, referring to the broader foreign policy of the Islamic Republic, said: “The first principle of our foreign policy is good neighborliness, and the 14th administration is moving forward on that basis.”

 

He added: “Our neighborhood is a space of national security and interest. The potential within this region alone is sufficient for the country’s progress. We must uncover and utilize these potentials and go beyond the current situation. That’s why regional diplomacy has become so important—especially in the Persian Gulf region, which holds special significance.”

 

Elaborating on the role of the Foreign Ministry in economic diplomacy, Araghchi clarified: “Economic diplomacy does not mean conducting economic transactions ourselves. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs doesn’t sell goods or oil—we pave the way. Our duty is to open up paths, remove obstacles, facilitate processes, identify new markets, and connect traders.”

 

He continued with an example: “The Foreign Ministry acts like an icebreaker ship. This ship doesn’t carry cargo itself, but it opens a frozen path so that other ships can pass through. There must be a close connection between this ship and the cargo vessels—otherwise, without a cleared path, they would get stuck.”

Sanctions Must Be Bypassed

Referring to the current sanctions against the country, the Foreign Minister said: “One of the major obstacles is the sanctions. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs works to have them lifted, sanctions are not the only challenge. It is our responsibility to neutralize and bypass them.”

 

He concluded: “The more successful we are at countering sanctions, the more disheartened the sanctioning countries become, which in turn strengthens our position in negotiations. If they were convinced sanctions would break us, they wouldn’t sit at the negotiation table. It’s the determination of the Iranian people and the resourcefulness of our business community that has prevented the sanctions from being crippling.”