TEHRAN – A group of Iranian parliamentarians has called on the country’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to confront the West from a “position of strength”.
The document, submitted by Mohammadreza Ahmadi, the representative of Rasht province, along with 48 other members of parliament, particularly emphasized the need to take a firm stance against European countries, especially the United States, which the lawmakers called a “criminal” power.
Aragushi arrived in Paris on Wednesday to discuss various regional and bilateral issues with his French counterpart.
The calls from lawmakers come amid ongoing tensions over Iran’s nuclear program. Earlier this year, the Iranian and U.S. governments were in indirect negotiations aimed at reaching a new nuclear deal to replace the 2015 JCPOA, which the Trump administration abandoned. Iranian officials said they would reassure the United States that Iran does not seek nuclear weapons, provided sanctions are reimposed after the U.S. withdrawal. At the same time, Iran insisted it would continue enriching uranium.
But those talks came to an abrupt halt on June 13, the day the United States helped Israel launch a 12-day war targeting Iran’s nuclear, civilian, and military infrastructure. The sixth round of talks, scheduled for just two days later in Oman, did not take place. In subsequent remarks, Trump acknowledged overseeing the operation and told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that he “did the right thing.”