Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday blamed Israel for trying to create an impediment to the ceasefire deal and stated that the U.S. attempt to force Iran into an “unconditional surrender” during the recent war was unsuccessful.
Araghchi made these remarks at the 39th national conference of heads of education departments in Tehran. The Iranian Foreign Minister attributed the biggest hurdle to the implementation of the memorandum of understanding to the Israeli regime, reported Iran’s ISNA News.
"The biggest opponent and obstacle to the implementation of the memorandum of understanding was, and remains, the Israeli regime," Araghchi said. He accused them of actively trying to block, derail and prevent the implementation of the understanding, saying those efforts are ongoing.
Araghchi further stated that President Donald Trump initially sought Iran’s "unconditional surrender," but shifted toward negotiations after efforts to force regime change, dismember the country and arm opposition groups failed.
He emphasized that Iran’s resistance on the battlefield compelled its adversaries to accept a ceasefire and negotiations on terms put forward by Tehran.
Trump Rejects Ceasefire Extension With Iran
The recent war and subsequent ceasefire have had significant implications on the global stage. On Monday, Trump rejected extending a temporary ceasefire with Iran as Tehran threatened to adopt a more aggressive military stance. A 60-day U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding (MoU) expired Monday without a broader peace deal, leaving negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program and U.S. sanctions unresolved.
Previously, U.S. intelligence agencies reportedly warned the Trump administration that Israel, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, could undermine the U.S.-Iran peace deal. Officials said Netanyahu faces political pressure to continue strikes against Hezbollah ahead of elections, while Israel’s refusal to withdraw troops from southern Lebanon could increase the risk of renewed hostilities and ultimately derail the agreement.
Netanyahu said Israel is confronting Iran and that the conflict was “not over yet,” stressing that the country’s long-term future depends on its ability to maintain independent defense capabilities.
Meanwhile, the memorandum has been criticized as a failure. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y) slammed the MoU, stating that it had failed to reach any of Trump’s stated goals, including offsetting fuel costs. He said that Trump had instead "hammered Americans with gas skyrocketing above $4 per gallon."
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