TEHRAN – At his weekly press conference, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei addressed a wide range of regional and international issues — from escalating tensions in Lebanon and Gaza, to relations with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, to the state of nuclear talks with Europe.

‘U.S. has become the biggest threat to security’

Baqaei accused Washington of adopting policies rooted in “naked force,” arguing that American actions across the world — from the Western Hemisphere to Africa — amount to a major threat to global and regional stability.

He cited threats against Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Brazil, and Mexico, and called the U.S. decision to close another country’s airspace “unprecedented and contrary to all international aviation norms.”

Since late August, Washington has sent warships, surveillance aircraft, and special operations units to the southern Caribbean, culminating this month with the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group.
The US has since launched dozens of strikes on vessels, killing more than 80 people, claiming they were drug traffickers, while failing to provide any evidence to back up the claims. Legal experts have condemned the US military’s extrajudicial killing of victims as unlawful.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday declared the airspace above and around Venezuela “closed in its entirety.”

Baqaei also criticized U.S. efforts to block South Africa’s participation in the G20 summit, and said Washington’s “unconditional support” for Israel made it “complicit” in the regime’s actions. Under normal conditions, he argued, the UN Security Council should treat U.S. behavior as a “gross violation” of international peace and security.

‘Australia’s move a form of extortion on behalf of Israel’

Responding to Australia’s designation of the IRGC, Baqaei said Iran had already conveyed its position through an official statement. He dismissed Canberra’s decision as lacking legal or factual basis and linked it to earlier allegations he said were fed by “false intelligence.”

Australian officials themselves, he added, had acknowledged Iran’s non-involvement in anti-Jewish incidents in the country. “This move by Australia is simply a form of extortion for the benefit of the Zionist regime,” he said.

The Australian government this week designated the IRGC a “state sponsor of terrorism.” Canberra has accused the IRGC of carrying out two attacks on Jewish centers in Sydney and Melbourne in 2024 — allegations that Australian police found to be untrue after they were first raised in August.

‘Saudi official’s visit to Tehran part of process of improving bilateral relations’

Baqaei said the Saudi deputy foreign minister’s visit to Tehran was part of a two-year process of improving bilateral relations. 

Discussions covered Iran–Saudi ties as well as issues involving Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. The two countries, he said, are committed to maintaining this trajectory to strengthen stability in West Asia.

Baqaei described the Saudi official’s visit to Tehran as part of normal diplomatic exchanges and said Iran regularly consults not only with Saudi Arabia but with other regional states as well. He rejected claims that Saudi Arabia is mediating between Iran and Syrian authorities, saying the consultations are intended to share perspectives, not create negotiating channels.

‘Israel enters ceasefires only to violate them’

Commenting on Lebanon, Baqaei said Israel routinely violates ceasefire agreements, citing a UNIFIL spokesperson’s figure of 10,000 violations. He argued that Israel not only undermines regional stability but also targets the development of surrounding countries. This, he said, increases the responsibility of those claiming to guarantee the ceasefire.

Despite declared ceasefires, he said violations are “sharply increasing,” noting that in Lebanon alone, the ceasefire has been breached “hundreds of thousands of times,” while in Gaza the number has reached 600.

‘Iran FM’s visit to France focused on bilateral issues’

Baqaei noted that the foreign minister’s recent visit to France — at the invitation of his French counterpart — focused on bilateral issues and global developments, including the nuclear file. 

He said the phone call with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas had been prearranged and was not directly linked to the Paris talks, though issues raised in France were also discussed with her.

‘CIA revelations about U.S. Role in ISIS not new’

Addressing comments by a former CIA chief in Tel Aviv about U.S. cooperation with al-Qaeda and ISIS during the Syrian conflict, Baqaei said such revelations were not new. 

He referenced earlier statements by former U.S. officials asserting that Washington played a significant role in the emergence of ISIS and “takfiri terrorism” in the region.

‘Coordination continues for a potential visit by Turkish President’

Speaking about Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit, Baqaei said coordination continues for a potential visit by President Erdogan. 

He reiterated Iran’s position that terrorism must be condemned everywhere and said both sides agree on strengthening regional cooperation to combat and eliminate terrorist groups.

As part of his trip to Iran, Turkish Foreign Minister met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkain, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf on Sunday evening.

‘No deadlock in the nuclear issue’

On claims that Iran’s nuclear file has reached an impasse, Baqaei said Iran is simply exercising rights guaranteed under international law and the NPT. The nuclear issue, he said, was imposed on Iran and the region by others, and there is no basis for describing the current situation as a deadlock. The real solution, he argued, is for other parties to stop making demands that violate international law and to refrain from obstructing Iran’s legal nuclear rights.

Regarding renewed interest from the European troika in negotiations, Baqaei said Iran has always maintained that meaningful talks require all parties to recognize each other’s rights and legitimate concerns. He blamed earlier setbacks on European draft resolutions influenced by U.S. pressure, but said diplomatic engagement with Europe continues.

Baqaei stressed that all of Iran’s nuclear activities have been under IAEA supervision and said it is the U.S. and Israel that should be held accountable for creating the current situation. He added that radioactive leakage makes inspections impossible and noted there is no precedent — or protocol — for inspecting facilities that have come under attack.

Referring to contradictory remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, Baqaei said such inconsistencies are “logically indefensible” and that the nuclear issue has always been a U.S. pretext for pressuring the Iranian people.

Earlier this year, efforts were underway to craft a new nuclear accord to replace the 2015 Iran deal — which Trump had abandoned during his first term. Iranian officials indicated they were prepared to reassure Americans that they were not pursuing nuclear weapons if sanctions — reimposed after Washington’s withdrawal from the JCPOA — were lifted. They also insisted Iran would not cease uranium enrichment. Reports suggested, however, that Tehran might be willing to offer greater concessions than it did under the JCPOA, so Trump would end up with a better pact than he had dismantled. 

Those negotiations were rendered moot when they abruptly halted on June 13, the day the U.S. assisted Israel in launching a 12day bombing campaign against Iran’s nuclear, civilian, and military infrastructure. A sixth round of nuclear talks had been scheduled to take place in Oman only days later, on June 15. Trump later confessed was "in charge of" the war, and during his meeting with Bin Salman, the president said he had done the "right thing". 

‘Iran does not interfere in Lebanon’s internal affairs’

Responding to criticism from Lebanese groups, Baqaei dismissed accusations of Iranian interference as baseless. 

He said Lebanon’s issues are for the Lebanese to resolve, while Iran supports Lebanon’s inherent right to defend itself against Israeli attacks. Interference, he argued, comes from those who “set deadlines” for Lebanon’s political process.

'We will not allow Israel’s dream of destabilizing Iran to materialize'

Asked whether Turkey or Saudi Arabia conveyed threatening messages to Tehran, Baqaei said no such messages were delivered. 

He said regional discussions naturally include concerns about Israeli “warmongering,” adding that Iran remains fully prepared and “will not allow the regime’s sinister dream of destabilizing Iran to come true.”

‘Implementation of Iran–China cooperation agreement is proceeding positively’

Baqaei said implementation of the long-term Iran–China cooperation agreement is proceeding positively and that both sides remain committed to advancing it as a strategic roadmap.

The Iran–China 25-year Cooperation Program or Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Iran and China is a 25-year cooperation agreement on the further development of Iran-China relations signed in Tehran by the Chinese and Iranian foreign ministers on 27 March 2021. Under a draft of the 25-year agreement, signed on 24 June 2020 in Beijing, China is to invest US$400 billion in Iranian economy over that time period in exchange for a steady and heavily supply of oil from Iran.

On the freight rail corridor with China, Baqaei said the route is strategically important and that all involved countries agree on the need to expedite efforts to make it fully operational. Recent discussions with Chinese counterparts, he said, have been constructive.