In an interview with an online program, Abbas Araqchi said Iran had anticipated the possibility of war well in advance and had prepared detailed contingency plans for various scenarios, including joint US-Israeli attacks and even the assassination of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. He stressed that the country "was not surprised at all" by the outbreak of hostilities and had been fully prepared to respond.
The foreign minister said Tehran entered negotiations with the United States despite expecting war, explaining that the talks were intended to exhaust diplomatic options and demonstrate to the international community that Iran had pursued every peaceful avenue. He said Washington repeatedly demanded "zero enrichment" and ultimately chose military action after failing to force Iran to abandon its nuclear program through negotiations.
Araqchi rejected claims that diplomacy led to war, arguing instead that the conflict resulted from the US and Israeli belief that Iran had been weakened and had lost its regional deterrence. According to him, that assessment proved to be a serious miscalculation, as Iran mounted strong resistance and compelled its adversaries to halt their military campaign.
He said the experience of the earlier 12-day war enabled Iran to strengthen its military capabilities and improve operational readiness, paving the way for victory in the subsequent 40-day conflict. He noted that Iran's missile launch capabilities had been substantially upgraded during the intervening months, frustrating enemy expectations.
Araqchi also said the Armed Forces remained on full alert throughout the negotiations and were never instructed to rely on diplomacy for national defense. He revealed that plans such as the immediate closure of the Strait of Hormuz under certain wartime scenarios had been prepared in advance and were implemented according to prearranged contingency plans.
The foreign minister said decisions on negotiations were made collectively through a specialized committee under the Supreme National Security Council, which simultaneously directed that the country prepare for war. He added that Iran consistently rejected US demands for zero enrichment or long-term suspension of uranium enrichment, insisting that the country's nuclear rights were non-negotiable.
Araqchi concluded that while Iran always preferred diplomacy to avoid the costs of war, it would not compromise its national interests under pressure.