Ministry of Foreign Affairs of I.R. of Iran

29/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 29/08/2024 14:18

Iran FM officially starts mission hails predecessors

Iran FM officially starts mission hails predecessors

The Iranian Foreign Ministry held a ceremony to introduce the new Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and bid farewell to the caretaker minister Ali Bagheri Kani.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry held a ceremony to introduce the new Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and bid farewell to the caretaker minister Ali Bagheri Kani.

Noting that the new administration of President Massoud Pezeshkian began its terms concurrent with Arbaeen, Araghchi expressed hope that the Master of Martyrs, Imam Hussein, would help it take the path successfully.

The foreign minister commemorated the Founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini, may God's mercy be upon him, the martyrs of the Islamic Revolution and the Iraqi-imposed war, the martyrs of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Martyr of Hearts Lieutenant General Hajj Qassem Soleimani, as well as the martyrs of the service, including former president Ayatollah Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi and the martyred foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

He said, "Martyr Amirabdollahian was a very good colleague and friend of mine who made efforts on this path and his tenure was successful and full of efforts, honest service and hard work in the path of achieving the goals of the Islamic Republic of Iran's holy system."

Araghchi thanked the head of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations Kamal Kharrazi, former Foreign Minsters Ali Akbar Salehi, Manouchehr Mottaki, and Mohammad Javad Zarif, and veteran lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi for their participation in the ceremony.

He also wished good health for former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, who congratulated him in a phone call, and expressed gratitude to General Yahya Rahim Safavi, a member of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, Ebrahim Azizi, the head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, and a number of parliamentarians who attended the ceremony, saying, "We are indebted to our veterans in the foreign ministry."

Citing remarks by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in his maiden meeting with the new administration, Araghchi highlighted the Leader's emphasis on taking advantage of opportunities and said, "We have a short time at our disposal, but as the Leader of the Islamic Revolution put it, great things can be done in a short time."

Referring to the complicated situation in the region and the world, Araghchi further added, "There are many threats, but our country has also very large capacities, and our skill should be to be able to take advantage of the opportunities, and it obligates that we put in all our efforts and move towards the interests of the country."

The top Iranian diplomat also asserted, "I have not come for the ministerial post, but rather to work. I am sure that I have good colleagues and, God willing, we will move hand in hand in the direction of the missions entrusted to us."

Pointing to the highlights of his speech in his own defense at the parliament as a nominee for the post in front of the members of the parliament, the foreign minister emphasized that he has three missions for the foreign ministry, enumerating them as "securing national interests, consolidation of national security, and enhancing national honor."

"Each of these three missions requires a lot of work and planning. In order to secure national interests, our most important work is economic diplomacy," he explained.

Araghchi elaborated that foreign policy should be able to help the country's economy, create opportunities and remove obstacles, saying "We consider it our duty to remove the obstacles to the prosperity of the country's economy and to open up new spaces, and provide solutions to the economic sectors of the country, both in the state and foreign sectors."

"The foreign ministry has a heavy duty in the field of national security and preserving the country's deterrence, preventing consensus against the country and using diplomacy to remove foreign threats and also regarding national honor and maintaining international dignity," the top diplomat said and assured, "We will make efforts and move forward for Iran and Iranians' pride and I hope God will grant us success in this path."

In conclusion, Araghchi once again commemorated Martyr Amirabdollahian and thanked his son for taking part in the ceremony and wished him and the martyred minister's revered family pride and success and asked them to pray for his success. He also prayed that God will help him and all servants of the Islamic establishment's diplomatic service so they can fulfill their duties well.

The foreign minister also lauded and commended Acting Foreign Minister Bagheri for his spirit of seeking and demanding justice and for shouldering the heavy responsibility of continuing talks on removing the Western-imposed sanctions against Iran after him and running the affairs of the Foreign Ministry in this period.