Araghchi says Washington must choose a ‘just and honorable’ deal or risk greater strategic failure, as Iran offers diplomacy and vows to defend Hormuz

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned in an article published by the Financial Times that the United States must choose between a “just and honorable deal” with Tehran and an even greater strategic failure if it launches another round of military aggression. He said Washington must show a genuine willingness to end its aggression permanently, adding that choosing military action over diplomacy would result in a major strategic defeat. Araghchi said Iran, an ancient and proud civilization, would never bow to any power, while remaining ready for a peaceful resolution and capable of defending itself.

Araghchi said the US president launched the joint US-Israeli aggression in late February based on fundamentally mistaken assumptions about Iran’s resilience. He added that Iran’s armed forces had learned valuable lessons from past attacks. Because strikes took place while negotiations were under way, he said, Tehran has no trust whatsoever in the US administration’s sincerity about seeking peace.

Despite that distrust, Araghchi said Iran remains committed to giving diplomacy another chance. He said he had presented, through mediators at the United Nations General Assembly, a seven-day plan intended to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

He warned that the spread of the war threatens international peace, civilian lives, regional stability and the global economy. Araghchi also challenged Washington’s assessment of the war’s economic consequences, pointing to rising living costs for ordinary Americans and damage to US military bases in the region. He said Iran intends to honor its role as a guardian of the Strait of Hormuz and warned that further military aggression would not resolve the situation, after the United States failed to achieve its stated objectives following nearly eight months of war.