Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a press conference at the Lutfi Kırdar Convention Center, on the sidelines of the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in Istanbul, on June 22, 2025. (Credit: Ozan Kose/AFP)
Iran will defend itself "by all necessary means," its foreign minister said Sunday after U.S. strikes on critical sites of the Iranian nuclear program. "The Islamic Republic of Iran will continue to defend its territory, sovereignty, security and people by all necessary means," said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul.
"My country has been attacked, assaulted, and we must respond under the right to self-defense. We will do so," warned the Iranian minister, who noted not having "precise information on the extent of the damage" from the U.S. strikes. "There is no red line they have not crossed. And the last, the most dangerous one ... last night. They crossed a major red line by attacking nuclear facilities," accused the Iranian foreign minister, targeting the United States and Israel.
Araghchi added that he was to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday morning in Moscow for "consultations." According to the Iranian minister, Russia, along with China, had been "trying" in recent days to prepare a resolution at the U.N. Security Council to achieve a cessation of hostilities. "Obviously, the situation has evolved and I will discuss with them the way forward," he added.
"I think it is irrelevant to ask Iran to return to diplomacy, because we were right in the middle of diplomacy. We were in negotiations with the United States when the Israelis blew everything up," he said again. "It is not Iran, but the United States that has betrayed diplomacy. They betrayed the negotiations," he insisted, stating that the United States has shown that "they only understand the language of threat and force."
However, the Iranian foreign minister expressed "confidence that starting today, new efforts could begin to be deployed to prevent the continuation of the conflict by the United States," referring to efforts made by Turkey and other countries in the region. "Last night's attack constitutes a serious crime, not only against the Iranian nation but also against the U.N. Charter, against all international laws and rules, and the Non-Proliferation Treaty," he argued, assessing that "through this action the United States has dealt a serious blow to global peace and security."