Araqchi made the remarks during a meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in New York on Tuesday on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly session. The two sides discussed bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments.
The Iranian foreign minister outlined the Islamic Republic’s views on international developments, warning of the dangerous consequences of normalizing violations of law and aggressive US unilateralism for the rule of law.
He stressed the importance of all countries, particularly European states, fulfilling their international legal obligations in this regard.
Araqchi also described the decision by some European countries, including Italy, to host US military bases and any cooperation in preparing for or carrying out acts of aggression against Iran as “very dangerous” and tantamount to complicity in aggression, saying such actions would entail international responsibility for the host or complicit states.
Pointing to the continued aggressive and destabilizing actions by the US and the Israeli regime in West Asia, Araqchi said rising fuel and commodity prices in global markets were a direct consequence of the US-Israeli military aggression against Iran.
He stressed that any responsible country should hold the US accountable for continuing its adventurist actions and threatening commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
Araqchi also outlined Iran’s responsible approach to regional developments, including its participation in diplomatic processes that were hosted by Italy at one point, and recalled that the US launched military aggression against Iran in the middle of diplomatic negotiations, thereby undermining the diplomatic process.
He criticized European countries for pursuing a policy of appeasement toward the aggressor instead of condemning the aggression.
The Iranian foreign minister emphasized that Iran considers diplomacy an effective tool for defending its national sovereignty and legitimate interests, saying that just as the Islamic Republic has acted decisively in confronting acts of aggression, it has also remained committed to diplomacy in good faith and with consistency.
On human rights, particularly women’s rights, Araqchi criticized the double standards of some European countries.
He said those who remained silent over the most blatant human rights violations by the Israeli occupying regime in the occupied Palestinian territories, remained indifferent to US and Israeli crimes against the Iranian people, including in Minab and Lamerd, and now support US economic terrorism against the Iranian people have no standing to lecture others on human rights.
For his part, the Italian foreign minister stressed his country’s commitment to international peace and security and called for intensified efforts by all sides to reduce tensions.