Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi confirmed, from Baghdad, that the US-Iranian memorandum of understanding must not be derailed, stressing that its first item is stopping the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.
Araqchi said that Israel must withdraw from the areas it controls in Lebanon, considering that this falls within the responsibility of the American government. He also stressed that Israeli attacks in Lebanon must stop.
Araghchi’s positions came during an official visit to Iraq, today, Sunday, in light of the escalation of tension between Iran and the United States following the exchange of strikes during the past hours.
Araqchi said that his visit to Baghdad comes under “special circumstances,” praising the Iraqi government’s positions in condemning the attacks on Iran, and stressing that he will discuss cooperation in the economic and security fields.
He stressed that Tehran is determined to continue cooperation with the Iraqi government in strategic areas.
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz file, Araqchi confirmed that the strait is under Iran’s management, and that things will return to normal after removing the obstacles, indicating that any interference from another party will only complicate the return of shipping movement in the Gulf to its normal state.
He added that there is no responsibility for any other party in the work of the Strait of Hormuz, considering that any proposal contrary to that contradicts the memorandum of understanding with Washington.
For his part, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stressed the importance of Araghchi’s visit to discuss the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States, noting that his Iranian counterpart informed him of the understandings with Washington.
Hussein stressed the importance of relations between Baghdad and Tehran, warning that the continuation of the war would lead to the destruction of the region, noting that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz led to the cessation of the flow of Iraqi oil, calling for its opening without obstacles.
The visit comes after an exchange of new strikes between the United States and Iran, as the US army launched raids on southern Iran after targeting a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, while the Revolutionary Guard responded by striking what it said were American bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, threatening to halt negotiations with Washington and respond further to any new escalation.
The memorandum of understanding signed between the American and Iranian sides on June 18, consisting of 14 items, stipulated the cessation of hostilities between the two parties, and the formation of working committees to discuss several files, including the Strait of Hormuz, the mechanism for lifting sanctions on Iran, and Iranian funds frozen abroad.
