Araghchi: Our armed forces defeated the world's largest army
Tehran - BORNA - Seyed Abbas Araghchi made the remarks at a joint session on "Cooperation and Synergy of Diplomacy and Health" on Wednesday, held to sign a cooperation memorandum between the Health and Foreign Ministries on health diplomacy and reconstruction of war-damaged infrastructure.
Araghchi began by honoring the martyrs of the two recent wars, particularly the martyred leader, and all those who sacrificed their lives. He paid special tribute to healthcare workers — doctors, nurses, and hospital staff — who continued their work even under the heaviest bombardment and never allowed hospitals and clinics to shut down.
"The recent war, the 12-day war, and the 40-day war, like the eight-year war, witnessed unparalleled scenes of sacrifice and bravery shown by every single son and daughter of this country," he said.
Araghchi said Iran proved itself to the world as a tough and invincible power. He said he had heard from ministers and officials of other countries that Iran had created a "miracle" and surprised the world, with no one expecting Iran to resist so effectively against the US, the Zionist regime, and the support of Western and other countries, ultimately forcing the enemy to request negotiations.
"In diplomacy too, the Iranian nation showed it knows how to defend its rights. I heard from various officials that 'you won both the war and the diplomacy.' In my view, we also won ethics, honor, and dignity — and this is the result of the sacrifice and resistance of all our people, including the medical staff," Araghchi said.
The Foreign Minister said one of the ministry's key tasks is supporting the country's healthcare system, and all diplomatic missions abroad have been instructed to assist in health diplomacy. He noted that securing medicine and medical equipment during wartime was a significant challenge, with both procurement and transportation proving difficult.
Araghchi said the Health Ministry performed brilliantly in ensuring the country's medical needs were met during wartime, preventing any shortages.
He also highlighted the national unity shown during the war, with Iranians both inside and outside the country contributing significantly. Millions of dollars were raised, and large quantities of equipment were imported, including 25 ambulances from a neighboring country.
Araghchi said he had asked Health Minister Zafarqandi to designate a war-damaged hospital for reconstruction. Funds have already been secured for the reconstruction of the Andimeshk hospital, which was over 80 percent destroyed. He noted that many donors have offered to provide equipment, and requests have been made to the hospital to list its needs.
The Foreign Minister said that during his visit to Najaf and Karbala, he met with officials of the Imam Hussein and Imam Abbas shrines, who expressed interest in donating equipment — even a small device — as a gesture of solidarity and blessing. He added that Iranians interested in donating can have their contributions named after them on equipment or rebuilt sections of the hospital.
Araghchi also noted that a meeting had been held with the Red Crescent to facilitate the clearance of donated aid, and that Foreign Ministry staff have contributed a significant portion of their salaries to the cause.
At the end of the session, a cooperation memorandum on synergy between diplomacy and health for post-war reconstruction was signed by the health and foreign ministers.
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