An interview with the Iranian acting foreign minister, Ali Baqeri, reflects Tehran's view of Israel's inevitable loss in the war against militias allied with Iran in the Middle East. According to the interview with Newsweek, the "Iranian axis" includes the Palestinian Hamas movement, which has been fighting Israel in Gaza since its unprecedented and surprise attack on October 7, and Hezbollah, which is conducting cross-border attacks against Israel. It also encompasses factions such as the Houthi militias in Yemen, and various militias in Iraq and Syria.
Baqeri's remarks come at a time of volatility in Iran and across the Middle East and coincide with his assumption of the current position following the sudden death of Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian alongside President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May, an event that led to early elections that brought reformist Masoud Bazizkian to victory earlier this month.
Baqeri stated, "The intense competition has been a testament to Iran's stability and political dynamism in the face of countless threats,” and on foreign policy, he said that Tehran remains open to resuming negotiations with Washington regarding mutual participation in the nuclear deal. However, Iran also intends to strengthen its deep relations with China, Russia, and neighboring countries.
As he prepared to attend consecutive sessions at the United Nations Security Council in New York, he emphasized Iran's growing role on the global stage, a role he would leverage to call for greater action against Israel.
Baqeri praised the ascendance of the Iranian axis in countries such as Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, and its implementation of direct operations against Israel. He noted that over the past nine months, Israel has failed in its battles in Gaza, indicating that Israel would face a much greater defeat if it decided to enter Lebanon. He clarified that his country is a responsible member of the International Atomic Energy Agency and a signatory of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and Iran intends to utilize all its potentials and capabilities under the Non-Proliferation Treaty and safeguards agreement to expand its peaceful nuclear activities according to its plans and national programs.
