Iran ready for diplomacy, war, says Gharibabadi

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Tehran says finalising response to Washington’s position on Iranian proposal submitted in New York

Iran is preparing to respond to the United States while maintaining its readiness for both diplomatic negotiations and military confrontation, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has said.

In an interview with Al Araby television, the Iranian official said Tehran remained open to a diplomatic solution but would not be expected to show further flexibility until Washington honoured its commitments and demonstrated that its demands were genuine and realistic.

Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, said Tehran was reviewing the American position on a proposal Iran presented during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

He said Iran was finalising its response and would communicate its final position through intermediaries after completing internal consultations.

The deputy foreign minister added that messages between Tehran and Washington continued to be exchanged through mediators, although the US position on certain Iranian conditions remained unclear.

Gharibabadi said Iran welcomed diplomatic processes and remained willing to negotiate, provided the issues raised during the talks were genuine and the demands realistic.

He stressed that Iran had consistently supported diplomacy and had not failed to pursue negotiations with any party.

Gharibabadi accused Washington of failing to fulfil its commitments under the Islamabad memorandum of understanding (MoU), insisting that Tehran had not violated its own obligations.

He said Iran’s continued participation in negotiations demonstrated its political flexibility and commitment to finding a diplomatic solution, despite what he described as the US failure to honour the agreement.

“Washington has violated its commitments under the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, and the US must take steps to compensate for this action,” Gharibabadi said.

He argued that Iran could not be expected to offer greater flexibility while the United States had failed to meet its obligations.

The Iranian official urged Washington to return to implementing its commitments, adding that Tehran’s willingness to continue negotiations should not be interpreted as an obligation to make further concessions.

While emphasising Iran’s willingness to negotiate, Gharibabadi said the country’s readiness to defend itself and engage in war was no less than its readiness for diplomacy.

He said Tehran was prepared to handle any situation and would continue to protect its national interests while assessing the prospects for negotiations with Washington.

According to Al Araby’s Tehran correspondent, Amir Jaber, Gharibabadi outlined Iran’s official position on negotiations with the United States, developments in the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s relations with regional countries.

The correspondent reported that Gharibabadi reiterated Iran’s willingness to negotiate over its nuclear programme but ruled out further flexibility before the United States returned to the negotiating table and addressed Tehran’s concerns.

Gharibabadi also warned that Iran had several military scenarios available if the United States or Israel launched an attack.

According to Al Araby’s correspondent, the Iranian deputy foreign minister said such an attack could lead to the opening of new fronts across the region.

His remarks underscored Tehran’s position that diplomatic engagement would continue alongside preparations for a possible military confrontation.

Iran’s latest statements come as both sides continue exchanging messages through intermediaries, with Tehran preparing its formal response to Washington’s position. Gharibabadi’s comments indicate that Iran remains open to negotiations but is demanding that the United States fulfil its commitments under the Islamabad MoU before expecting additional concessions.

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