“Iran’s Missile Response Forces U.S. Pullback as Israel Faces Regional Setback, Says Foreign Minister”

According to Saed News, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has stated that the United States requested a ceasefire after Iran launched a forceful missile response using its third-generation “Kheibar shakan” systems, dramatically shifting the calculus of the ongoing regional conflict. In an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Araghchi portrayed the U.S. withdrawal as evidence of Israel’s inability to withstand mounting pressure without external support.

“The very fact that the United States felt compelled to intervene militarily revealed the depth of Israel’s strategic failure,” Araghchi said. “They naïvely believed Iran would capitulate in the face of American involvement. Our decisive military response overturned those assumptions, leading them to step back and call for a ceasefire through intermediaries.”

The minister emphasized that Iran's decision to accept a ceasefire was rooted not in weakness, but in principle. “The ceasefire serves to uphold our moral high ground and reflects a foreign policy grounded in Islamic values. Iran did not start this war, and our responses have consistently been defensive and firm.”

Araghchi also addressed Iran’s controversial strike on the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, framing the action as legitimate self-defense. “We executed this within the bounds of legitimate defense. Iran fully respects the sovereignty of Qatar and neighboring states.”

According to the foreign minister, the U.S. had transmitted messages to Iran both before and after the missile strikes. However, he made clear that diplomatic re-engagement would only be possible if the aggression ceases entirely. “The path back to negotiations is conditional upon an end to the hostilities,” he stated.

Araghchi reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to its nuclear program, which he described as now progressing with stronger national resolve than ever. He claimed European powers have come to understand that “a military solution against Iran is no longer viable.”

Concluding his remarks, the minister underscored Israel’s deteriorating position: “Tel Aviv is now completely isolated. Public opinion across the Arab world increasingly aligns with Iran. Even in the height of conflict, our diplomacy has remained assertive and effective.”