New Delhi [India], June 18 : Iran's Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, on Thursday addressed the months of conflict with a firm defence of Iran's sovereignty, attributing the previous escalations to external provocations. He specifically pointed to the influence of "warmongering figures" and the "destabilising policies" of the "Zionist regime."
In an interview with ANI, the envoy said that the war not only failed to achieve its declared objectives but also imposed substantial costs on the region and the global economy.
"If obstacles still exist today to the full normalisation of Iran's economic relations with the international community, a significant part of the challenge stems from the confrontational and destabilising policies of the Zionist regime, which over recent years has sought to prevent the emergence of an atmosphere of cooperation and trust in the region through the creation of insecurity, tension, and crises," he added.
The Ambassador identified the "confrontational and destabilising policies" of the "Zionist regime" as the primary obstacle to normalising economic ties, alleging that these actions have actively sought to prevent an atmosphere of trust and cooperation throughout the region.
"The experience of the recent war also demonstrated that certain decision-makers in the United States entered into conflict with Iran under the influence of narratives and provocations promoted by the Zionist regime. Yet that war not only failed to achieve its declared objectives, but also imposed substantial costs on the region and the global economy. The reality is that Iran is not a country upon which political will can be imposed through pressure or threats," the envoy said.
Fathali noted Iran's deep-rooted history as an ancient civilisation, and emphasised that his country remains steadfast in its pursuit of peace, stability, and regional cooperation.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently expressed its readiness for constructive engagement, cooperation, and the expansion of relations with countries around the world on the basis of mutual respect and shared interests. Iran is an ancient civilization with thousands of years of history and has always sought peace, stability, and regional cooperation," he said.
Addressing the recent period of regional unrest, the Ambassador asserted that the conflict was exacerbated by international actors allegedly acting under the influence of misleading narratives and "warmongering figures" like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Ambassador signalled that should the international community choose cooperation over confrontation, there would be no remaining barriers to the full expansion of Iran's economic relations.
"We hope that today a greater sense of realism and prudence has emerged among American officials, leading them to choose the path of dialogue, mutual respect, and cooperation rather than repeating past mistakes and being influenced by the ambitions and recommendations of warmongering figures such as Netanyahu. Under such circumstances, there would be no obstacle to the expansion of Iran's economic relations with the world, and all parties would stand to benefit from the resulting opportunities," he said.
His remarks come as the US and Iran have achieved a diplomatic breakthrough with US President Donald Trump signing a peace deal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iran during a dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit in Versailles.