Araghchi officially begins mission as Iran’s foreign minister

Noting that the new administration of President Massoud Pezeshkian began its terms concurrent with Arbaeen, Araghchi expressed hope that the Master of Martyrs, Imam Hussein, would help it take the path successfully.

The foreign minister commemorated the Founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini, may God’s mercy be upon him, the martyrs of the Islamic Revolution and the Iraqi-imposed war, the martyrs of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Martyr of Hearts Lieutenant General Hajj Qassem Soleimani, as well as the martyrs of the service, including former president Ayatollah Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi and the martyred foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

He said, “Martyr Amirabdollahian was a very good colleague and friend of mine who made efforts on this path and his tenure was successful and full of efforts, honest service and hard work in the path of achieving the goals of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s holy system.”

Araghchi thanked the head of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations Kamal Kharrazi, former Foreign Minsters Ali Akbar Salehi, Manouchehr Mottaki, and Mohammad Javad Zarif, and veteran lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi for their participation in the ceremony.

He also wished good health for former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, who congratulated him in a phone call, and expressed gratitude to General Yahya Rahim Safavi, a member of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, Ebrahim Azizi, the head of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, and a number of parliamentarians who attended the ceremony, saying, “We are indebted to our veterans in the foreign ministry.”

Citing remarks by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in his maiden meeting with the new administration, Araghchi highlighted the Leader’s emphasis on taking advantage of opportunities and said, “We have a short time at our disposal, but as the Leader of the Islamic Revolution put it, great things can be done in a short time.”

Referring to the complicated situation in the region and the world, Araghchi further added, “There are many threats, but our country has also very large capacities, and our skill should be to be able to take advantage of the opportunities, and it obligates that we put in all our efforts and move towards the interests of the country.”

The top Iranian diplomat also asserted, “I have not come for the ministerial post, but rather to work. I am sure that I have good colleagues and, God willing, we will move hand in hand in the direction of the missions entrusted to us.”

Pointing to the highlights of his speech in his own defense at the parliament as a nominee for the post in front of the members of the parliament, the foreign minister emphasized that he has three missions for the foreign ministry, enumerating them as “securing national interests, consolidation of national security, and enhancing national honor.”

“Each of these three missions requires a lot of work and planning. In order to secure national interests, our most important work is economic diplomacy,” he explained.

Araghchi elaborated that foreign policy should be able to help the country’s economy, create opportunities and remove obstacles, saying “We consider it our duty to remove the obstacles to the prosperity of the country’s economy and to open up new spaces, and provide solutions to the economic sectors of the country, both in the state and foreign sectors.”