In response to recent remarks by US President Donald Trump suggesting that regime change in Iran might be an outcome of escalating tensions, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has dismissed the idea as an “impossible mission”.
Speaking in an interview with NBC News, Araghchi rejected the notion that the leadership of the Islamic Republic could be toppled from outside, emphasising that the government enjoys deep domestic support.
Araghchi’s comments came amid escalating hostilities in the Middle East, including coordinated military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iranian targets, a dramatic development that has sharply destabilised regional security.
His remarks also come amid speculations over the whereabouts of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose presidential compound in Tehran was flattened after US-Israel attacks. Khamenei’s condition is not known yet.
‘We are not attacking Americans on their land’
Araghchi mentioned that Iran is targeting US military installations in the Middle East rather than attacking “Americans in their land”. However, the Iran’s foreign minister emphasized that Iran is keen on de-escalation and is prepared to engage in dialogue once the US-Israeli strikes cease.
“There is no communication right now,” he remarked.
“But if Americans wants to talk to us. They know how they can contact me. We are certainly interested for de-escalation… This is a war of choice by the United States, and they have to pay for that. But as far as we are concerned, we don’t want war,” Araghchi continued.
‘We did not start the aggression’
Aragchi said that Iran’s act of attacking US military installations in six Gulf countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE is purely an act of self defence.
“We are not the one who started this aggression,” he emphasised. “It was the United States and Israel who started this aggression. So there is no limit for us to defend ourselves, but once the aggression is stopped, we would also stop our self-defence.”
One individual report said a strike on a school in southern Iran reportedly killed at least 57 people, and another mentions one fatality from Iranian missiles in the UAE.