Abbas Araghchi describes surviving a major US-Israeli airstrike that killed Iran's supreme leader and highlights the country's resilience.
Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, survived a devastating US-Israeli airstrike on the first day of the war that killed supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Araghchi was pulled from the rubble of a leadership compound after three successive explosions struck the building. He reported that he and deputy chief of staff Ali Asghar Hijazi managed to escape the debris, though Hijazi's secretary was killed instantly. Araghchi noted that while the US and Israel possessed accurate intelligence to target senior officials, the operation failed to paralyze the Iranian government. He emphasized that the appointment of Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, signals a continuation of the regime's existing policies. Regarding regional dynamics, Araghchi stated that Iran is working to exploit diverging interests between the US and Israel. He also noted that regional governments previously counseled Donald Trump against a full-scale war, warning that Iran’s deep-rooted civilization and beliefs make it difficult to defeat quickly. Araghchi concluded that Iran remains prepared for retaliation, stating that the country only engages in conflict when the cost of inaction exceeds the cost of fighting.