Ismail Baqai, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commemorated the two martyr women, Dr. Nasrat Eftekhar and Afsaneh Aqila, during a press conference on Tuesday, October 20, and discussed the concerns and diplomatic activities of the Foreign Ministry.
Priority of Securing Iran's National Interests
Baqai stated in this meeting that a lot of diplomatic activities have taken place in the past two weeks, saying: "We insist on nothing but securing Iran's national interests. What is fundamental for us is the preservation of Iran's national interests and security." He added: "Our concern is Iran; whether through diplomacy or through defense."
Read more: Heavy rains expected in 5 provinces; Hormozgan, Kerman, and Sistan and Baluchestan await rain
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to public questions regarding negotiations with the United States, referred to the history of this country's treaty violations, saying: "The history of U.S. treaty violations is very clear, and we, as a diplomatic body, are not allowed to neglect our duties simply due to past bitter experiences. We are obliged to use every tool at our disposal to secure Iran's national interests."
Diplomacy and Defense; Two Sides of the Same Coin
Baqai continued: "Diplomacy is part of our defense and part of our struggle. We should not differentiate between the battlefield and the struggle on one hand and the field of diplomacy for the rights of the Iranian nation on the other." He emphasized the importance of advancing diplomacy, saying: "If we delay in this regard, our people will say that you were not serious and chose war. Therefore, if we give the slightest chance that we can prevent escalation through diplomacy, we must definitely pursue this path."
During this meeting, Baqai referred to the visit of Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, to Tehran, stating: "Lavrov's visit took place within the framework of ongoing consultations between the two countries and had been on the agenda for a long time. The relations between Iran and Russia in various fields are at a good level."
He also mentioned speculations regarding nuclear negotiations and their details, emphasizing: "We have not fundamentally entered into nuclear negotiations with the Americans to discuss the details with other parties."
Response to Threats and Support for the Iranian Nation
In response to a question about the Americans' claim that "Iran should not respond," Baqai firmly said: "Do you believe that? The opposing side attacks and we remain silent?" He continued: "If our blow is not stronger, they will certainly be hit just as hard, and this is part of the fantasies they have raised."
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also referred to a new initiative by the Foreign Ministry to pose public questions during spokesperson sessions and announced that people can send their questions via the Rubika messaging app.
Read more: Deputy Minister of Science: Iran's goal in attracting international students is to create scientific links · Chairman of the Iran-China Conference: Relations between the two countries should turn into sustainable cooperation
