Iran says renewed war with US and Israel will not shift its stance
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that a potential resumption of war with Israel and the United States would not change his country’s positions. The remarks come amid mounting US and Israeli threats of renewed attacks on Iran, as President Donald Trump said on Friday that Washington “may do another little Epic Fury,” referring to the US-Israeli war on Iran that began on February 28. “Recently, there has been talk of a new war, but I am already thinking about the post-war period. Whether there is war or not, our policies remain the same,” said Araghchi during a televised event in Tehran. “They have already done so twice and have seen the results. If they want to try again, they know they will achieve no different outcome from those of the past.” An April 8 ceasefire between Iran and the United States put an end to the most intense fighting, apart from sporadic exchanges of fire in and around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies. These military flare-ups have lulled in recent weeks. Iran has claimed control over the strait since the outbreak of the war and has regularly targeted vessels that attempt crossing without its authorisation — moves strongly opposed by Washington and countries in the region. In response, the US has been maintaining a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports. In June, Iran agreed with the United States to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, laying out a pathway to a permanent settlement of the conflict, only for the deal to later unravel as each side accused the other of violating it. Tehran has since called for a return to the accord to end the conflict. “The current war has changed everything. We must accept that new realities are taking hold. Shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz will no longer be the same, and the management of the strait will no longer be the same,” said Araghchi. “To achieve peace and stability, our region must move towards the complete absence of foreign forces.”
Iran will not alter its foreign policy stances even if direct warfare resumes with the United States and Israel, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday.
Speaking during a televised appearance in Tehran, Araghchi responded to growing warnings from Washington and Israeli leadership about renewed military action against the Islamic Republic. The minister asserted that Tehran is already preparing for the post-conflict era, emphasizing that military threats would not produce any strategic shifts.
According to Araghchi, adversaries have tested Iran twice in the past and witnessed the outcomes. He stated that any subsequent efforts would lead to identical results, regardless of whether hostilities formally restart.
The comments follow statements delivered on Friday by US President Donald Trump, who suggested Washington might initiate another operation, citing earlier joint action with Israel that began on February 28 under the name Epic Fury.
Major armed engagements were halted following an April 8 ceasefire reached between Washington and Tehran. While major battles ceased, periodic skirmishes have continued around the Strait of Hormuz, an essential transit corridor for global oil shipments. Those confrontations have quieted down over recent weeks.
Throughout the dispute, Iran has asserted authority over the vital maritime passage, striking ships navigating the waterway without prior permission from Iranian authorities. The United States and regional allies have strongly condemned those actions, prompting the US military to enforce a naval counter-blockade against Iranian seaports.
Diplomatic efforts yielded the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding in June, intended as a framework to achieve a permanent resolution between Tehran and Washington. However, the agreement subsequently collapsed after both governments traded accusations of non-compliance. Iranian officials have since advocated for restoring the framework to settle the confrontation.
Araghchi emphasized that the war has permanently altered regional dynamics, particularly regarding critical trade passages. He noted that operational control and shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will undergo lasting changes. He concluded that long-term regional stability depends entirely on the full departure of all foreign military forces from the Middle East.
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DevelopingReported from Dawn (Pakistan).
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