Tehran accuses Israel of dragging third parties into conflict

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has issued a sharp rebuke to Israel, accusing the country of deliberately attempting to escalate tensions and drag other nations into a broader regional war.

In a statement released on June 18 on his X page, Araghchi emphasised Iran's commitment to self-defence, denounced Israel’s nuclear capabilities, and reiterated Tehran’s readiness for diplomacy—excluding what he termed the “illegitimate, genocidal and occupying Israeli regime,” Caliber.Az reports. 

“The entire world should by now understand that Iran acts solely in self-defence,” Araghchi said. “Even in the face of the most outrageous aggression against our people, Iran has so far only retaliated against the Israeli regime and not those aiding and abetting it.”

He further claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had "manufactured" the ongoing war to derail diplomatic efforts and is now seeking to involve additional actors to "bail out" Israel from its growing isolation. Araghchi warned of a deliberate attempt to “expand the flames to the region and beyond.”

The Iranian official also addressed longstanding international concerns over Tehran's nuclear program, asserting that Iran has never pursued nuclear weapons, despite being under threat by what he described as "the region’s only nuclear-armed regime."

“If Iran were ever going to seek those inhuman weapons, what better pretext could we possibly need than the current aggression?” he remarked, positioning Iran’s restraint as a demonstration of principled policy rather than necessity.

As fighting continues to unsettle the region, Araghchi vowed that Iran would defend itself “with pride and bravery,” promising consequences for what he called Israel’s “grave error.”

Despite the hostile rhetoric toward Israel, Araghchi insisted that Iran remains open to diplomacy. “With the exception of the illegitimate Israeli regime, we remain committed to diplomacy,” he said. “As before, we are serious and forward-looking in our outlook.”

By Khagan Isayev