Iranian diplomat: Conflict with US, Israel still ongoing

A senior Iranian diplomat has said the confrontation between Tehran, Washington and Israel is still ongoing, arguing that lasting peace cannot be achieved until hostilities end on all fronts.

Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, said the Islamic Republic remained in a defensive posture and “high state of readiness” amid continuing tensions with the United States and Israel, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

Speaking at the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS), a think tank affiliated with Iran’s foreign ministry, he said it was “difficult to say the war is over”.

“While the war is not over on all fronts, peace cannot be guaranteed,” he said.

“Iran cannot risk its national security. Iran will continue to remain in a state of heightened readiness and [maintain] a defensive position across various fronts.”

Khatibzadeh said Iran’s objective was to “defeat the aggressor” and prevent the United States from achieving what he described as its strategic goals inside the country.

At the same time, he emphasised the need to focus on de-escalation. “We must concentrate on ending this war and addressing its root causes,” he said, adding that Tehran had already raised similar proposals in talks in Islamabad and in subsequent discussions.

By Aghakazim Guliyev