TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi reaffirms Tehran’s commitment to maintain Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, warning that Israel is attempting to replicate the same unstable tactics adopted in Syria in Lebanon.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Araghchi refused to attack Israel and warned that excessive concessions to the Zionist regime only encouraged it to be further promoted. He says Iran is opposed to all distributions of Syria and continues to support the country’s sovereignty, borders and stability. “Experience shows that if stability and calmness aren’t winning, Syria can once again become a hub for terrorist groups.
Noting that Tehran has yet to establish contact with Syria’s new government, Aragut said he is not in a hurry. “When the new Syrian regime realizes that relations with Iran will serve the interests of the government and its people, we will certainly look into it,” he explained.
Turning to Lebanon, the top diplomat said they were trying to strip the country of its defenses, just as Israel crippled Syria. “Look at Syria,” he said. “A new government, completely different from Bashar al-Assad, is occupied by much of its land than before. Israel bombed all the military capabilities the new Syrian government had, leaving it without any strong defenses. This is exactly the fate we want from Lebanon.”
He dismissed allegations that Iran would interfere in Lebanon, saying that Hezbollah’s weapons decision belongs to the Lebanese people, political parties and the group itself. “Disarming Hezbollah is entirely an Israeli plan,” warned Araguchi. “The only factor that has stopped Israel so far is resistance. It’s strength, not mitigating, that stops Israel’s invasion. The more concessions they make, the more concessions Israel demands.
The Iranian foreign minister added that Tehran is open to working with Lebanon’s Saudi Arabia and has pointed out that he is having a “very constructive discussion” about the issue with Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Fahan. “There may be differences, but I spoke rationally and calmly. Saudi Arabia wants to help the Lebanese people, like us,” he said.
In its broader relations with Riyadh, Aragut described Saudi Arabia as “a major country in the region and the Islamic world,” adding that Iran also holds a significant position. “We live side by side in this region. We do so now. We do so in the future. Peace and stability can only be achieved through cooperation between Iran and Saudi Arabia,” he emphasized. While acknowledging rivalry and disagreement, he emphasized that such competition should not be transformed into hostility.
He also highlights the importance of human-to-person exchange, pointing to the annual pilgrimage pilgrimage (currently hosted by over 80,000 Iranians) and the reopening of Umrah, which is expected to bring about around 400,000 Iranian pilgrimage this year. Araguchi expressed his hope that Saudi Arabia would soon begin visiting Iran for tourism, saying that it would discover a country with rich cultural, historical and natural beauty far from the images projected by Western media.
Commenting on the regional reaction after Israel and the US attacked Iran in recent years, the Foreign Minister praised Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council for denounced the attack and expressed solidarity with the Iranian people. “That kind of stance was very important to us,” he said.
Looking at the future, Aragut said there is a significant potential for economic cooperation with Saudi Arabia. He noted that the Iranian population and its unique transport pointed out that its unique transport links to Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Indian Ocean as a major advantage of bilateral trade.
Asked if he was optimistic about the future of the region, the diplomat responded: “Diplomaticians are always optimistic, and I think there will be areas full of stability, calm, progressive and development, especially when regional countries cooperate progresses between Iran and Saudi Arabia.