Iran has indicated a willingness to pursue bilateral and multilateral diplomacy with regional neighbours even as it sharpened its rhetoric against the United States and Israel amid ongoing hostilities.
Speaking to Al Jazeera Arabic, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran had anticipated the confrontation and demonstrated its defensive capabilities.
“We have prepared for this confrontation and proven our ability to defend ourselves,” he said.
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Ghalibaf described the conflict as Israel's war, adding that the resulting instability has had global repercussions. He justified Iran's targeting of US-linked assets in the region, saying it was necessary to preserve its presence, and warned that any escalation would invite a decisive and broad response against American interests.
Emphasising regional autonomy, Ghalibaf said sustainable security must be built through cooperation among regional countries without foreign interference.
“The countries of the region can secure their interests through bilateral and multilateral security agreements,” he noted, adding that the main drivers of insecurity, referring to the United States and Israel, must be removed from the equation.
Separately, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi pushed back against what he called misrepresentation in US media regarding Tehran's diplomatic posture. He reiterated that Iran remains appreciative of Pakistan and has not declined engagement with Islamabad.
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In a post on X, Araghchi underscored Tehran's core objective: “What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting END to the illegal war that is imposed on us.”
Iran's position is being misrepresented by U.S. media.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 4, 2026
We are deeply grateful to Pakistan for its efforts and have never refused to go to Islamabad. What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting END to the illegal war that is imposed on us.
پاکستان زنده باد pic.twitter.com/AUjBQxOFyA
He also raised alarm over strikes on critical infrastructure, revealing that the Bushehr nuclear facility had been hit four times. Araghchi criticised the perceived lack of international concern over the site's safety, contrasting it with the global attention given to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
“Attacks on our petrochemicals also convey real objectives,” he added, warning of significant risks not just to Iran but to the wider Gulf region.
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