Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has emphasized the legal and moral duty of all nations to condemn and take immediate action to halt the ongoing crimes against Palestinians in Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to the war-stricken territory.
Araqchi discussed Gaza with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state on Friday, according to a press release by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. The top diplomat was in Italy for the fifth round of nuclear talks with U.S. representatives.
During the meeting, which was also attended by the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Araqchi expressed condolences over Pope Francis’ passing and congratulated the Vatican on the election of Pope Leo XIV as head of the Catholic Church.
Araqchi said that violations of fundamental Palestinian rights, particularly their right to self-determination, are the root cause of instability in the West Asian region.
He also criticized the so-called two-state solution to resolve the decades-long conflict between Israel and Palestine, calling the proposal an unfulfilled promise that has only led to increasing violations of the rights of the Palestinian people.
Instead, he said, the Islamic Republic of Iran proposes the formation of a single democratic state in Palestine through holding a referendum involving all original inhabitants, including Muslims, Jews, and Christians.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Araqchi briefed Vatican officials on Tehran-Washington negotiations and Iran’s stance on its right to peaceful use of nuclear energy.
The foreign minister and Vatican senior officials also exchanged views on Vatican-Iran bilateral relations and interfaith dialogue.
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