Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on June 15 (local time) called on Israel to halt its attacks first. This was the first time Minister Araghchi publicly expressed his position since Israel's surprise attack began on June 13.
According to AFP and other sources, Minister Araghchi stated during a meeting with foreign diplomats broadcast on state TV that "if they stop their attacks, of course, we will also halt our retaliatory measures." He also emphasized that Iran does not want the conflict with Israel to expand throughout the region. He criticized Israel for targeting nuclear facilities, saying, "This is a new 'red line' crossed under international law."
Regarding the United States, he accused it of being involved in Israel's airstrikes. Minister Araghchi said, "We have clear evidence that the attacks by the Zionist regime (Israel) were supported by U.S. forces and U.S. military bases in the region." He also claimed that Israel does not want Iran to reach a nuclear program agreement with the U.S. government led by President Donald Trump.
Minister Araghchi also criticized the international community for its inability to prevent Israeli bombings of Iran. He stated, "The United Nations Security Council is responding with indifference, and Western governments are blaming Iran instead of Israel, even though Iran was the one attacked."
Meanwhile, the conflict between Israel and Iran is intensifying. According to the New York Times and other U.S. media, Israel launched concentrated attacks on Iran's energy facilities starting the night of June 14, the second day of its offensive against Iran. Iran, which had launched nearly 100 missiles toward Israeli territory in a large-scale retaliation, continued its attacks until the early hours of June 15.
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