Iranian foreign minister: Middle East security cannot be imposed from outside

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that achieving sustainable security in the Middle East cannot be dictated from outside the region, stressing that regional countries must be able to hold talks on their security and shared future without foreign interference.

Araghchi explained that lasting security is achieved through dialogue and confidence-building among regional states, not through foreign military presence. He emphasized, "In the Middle East, sustainable security cannot be imposed from outside the region."

He noted that war, intervention, sanctions, and the use of force have shifted from being exceptions to becoming routine tools in international politics. Araghchi argued that military intervention does not create security, and that pressure and coercion do not lead to peace.

Commenting on regional developments, Araghchi said that the killing of civilians, forced displacement, and destruction in Gaza represent a test of the international community's conscience, adding that the continuation of these crimes without accountability has also extended to Lebanon.

The Iranian foreign minister warned that ignoring international law whenever it suits the interests of major powers means "the rule of law can no longer be discussed." He also said that if human rights are considered an inherent right for some nations and a conditional privilege for others, they can no longer be regarded as universal.