Tehran - BORNA - Baghaei made the remarks during his weekly press briefing on Monday, where he discussed Iran’s recent diplomatic engagements, the situation in Gaza, and the implications of the Western move at the UN Security Council.
Continued genocide in Gaza
Baghaei said that despite proposals for peace in Gaza and related efforts, “we continue to witness the ongoing crimes of the Zionist regime in Gaza.”
“Over the past two years, nearly 80,000 Palestinians have been martyred by the Zionist regime,” he stated, adding that the crimes “constitute clear acts of genocide.”
He further condemned the inaction of international bodies, saying: “Unfortunately, during this entire period, international organizations — including the United Nations and the Security Council — have proven unable to take even minimal steps to stop these atrocities.”
The spokesman also denounced Israel’s mistreatment of the Global Sumud Flotilla and the arrest of human rights activists aboard the aid convoy, calling it “a blatant violation of international law and human dignity.”
Diplomacy remains open if it serves Iran’s interests
Commenting on the recent decision by the UK, France, and Germany to invoke the snapback mechanism, Baghaei said: “They claim the diplomatic path remains open, but this is merely a general statement. We, too, believe diplomacy never truly ends — and whenever we see it serving Iran’s national interests, we will not hesitate to use it. However, these three European countries have proven that diplomacy, in its current form with them, is unproductive.”
He added that the European move was not only procedurally flawed but also legally destabilizing: “Their action has created legal confusion within the UN Security Council. It is unclear what, in practical terms, has been restored. This was not a rational, calculated move — rather, it was an act of obstinacy, carried out to appease the United States without regard for their own national interests.”
The UN Secretariat’s notices on sanctions lack legal validity
Baghaei strongly rejected the UN Secretariat’s role in issuing notices related to the so-called reimposition of sanctions, saying: “We stress that the UN Secretariat’s action in issuing statements about the return of sanctions against Iran has no legal validity and lacks logic.”
He emphasized once again: “The activation of the snapback mechanism by the three European countries does not create any obligation for UN member states to enforce sanctions.”
No current plan for talks with the three European states
When asked whether Iran plans to hold talks with the three European countries, Baghaei replied: “At the moment, we have no plans for negotiations.”
He continued: “We are currently focused on assessing the consequences and implications of the actions taken by the three European countries and the United States.”
However, Baghaei clarified that Tehran has not abandoned diplomacy entirely: “Diplomacy, in essence, means maintaining channels of contact. Whenever we determine that diplomacy can be effective, we will act accordingly, based on our national interests.”
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