Araghchi made the remarks on Sunday during a press conference with his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein, in Baghdad, which was held after the two met to discuss the latest developments in the region.
“We are fully prepared for a wartime situation. We are not afraid of war, but we do not seek it. We will strive for a just peace in Gaza and Lebanon,” the Iranian foreign minister said.
Araghchi arrived in the Iraqi capital earlier in the day as part of a regional tour focused on efforts to stop the Israeli regime’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon. He has already visited Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia, and will travel to Oman after concluding his trip to Iraq.
The foreign minister said his regional tour was aimed at conducting “close consultations and discussions” with regional allies, especially Iraq, as the region is facing multiple challenges created by the Israeli regime.
Stressing the need for regional countries to stop Israeli aggression in Gaza and Lebanon, Araghchi said Iran does not seek tension or to escalate tensions and conflict. However, he made clear that Iran is “ready for war, just as we are prepared for peace".
In response, Fuad Hussein remarked that both Iran and Iraq face significant challenges, particularly as Israeli aggression against Gaza continues and the conflict has now expanded into Lebanon.
He warned that the ongoing wars in Gaza and Lebanon threaten the security and stability of the region.
“The Iraqi government's assessment is that the continuation of the war is dangerous and has multiple repercussions for Iraq and the entire region,” he stated.
Hussein also mentioned that the Israeli regime has threatened to target specific sites in Iran and has similarly threatened Iraq to draw it into the conflict.
Regarding the potential use of Iraqi airspace by Israel for a potential attack on Iran, he said, “In Iraq, we categorically oppose any misuse of our airspace in this war and are working to keep the shadow of war away from this region, especially from Iraq.”
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