Kayhan slams Rouhani over nuclear remarks, accuses him of past concessions

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei on Wednesday called on all sides involved in negotiations with Iran to support a fair outcome based on international law.

“It is clear to everyone that what the Islamic Republic of Iran presents as its principled positions are in line with international law and Iran’s needs,” Baghaei told ILNA.

“We expect all relevant parties to help reach a reasonable and logical agreement.”

The bill passed with 191 votes in favor, 8 against, and 2 abstentions out of 201 ballots cast, according to state media.

The agreement, initially signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on January 17, was ratified by Russia’s State Duma in April.

While the pact does not include a mutual defense clause, it commits both nations to enhanced military-technical cooperation, joint military exercises, and coordination in the face of what they define as shared security threats.

“The strategic treaty is vital from economic, security, geopolitical, and diplomatic perspectives,” said Tehran lawmaker Hamid Rasai during the parliamentary debate. “Both Iran and Russia are under heavy Western sanctions. This partnership can help reduce dependence on the dollar and strengthen national and military security.”

Rasai added that Russia could potentially provide Iran with advanced weapons systems, including air defense technologies, fighter jets, and naval equipment.

Another MP, Mohammad Reza Ahmadi from Rasht, voiced support for the pact, saying, “It is in our interest to align with those who oppose America.”

The development comes against the backdrop of deepening military collaboration since the outbreak of the Ukraine war in 2022.

Western governments have accused Iran of supplying drones and missiles for Russia’s use on the battlefield, leading to economic sanctions, a charge Tehran has consistently denied.

Economically, the pact aims to ease bilateral trade and financial transactions, with provisions to expand interbank cooperation and promote the use of national financial instruments.

The move comes as both Tehran and Moscow remain under extensive Western sanctions.

Last week, a separate free trade agreement between Iran and the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union came into effect, reducing tariffs to boost trade flows between the two economies.

Three Iranian officials told Reuters that the country’s clerical leadership lacks a coherent fallback strategy if nuclear negotiations with the United States and Europe collapse.

While Iran may turn to China and Russia as a “Plan B,” the sources described the option as tenuous, citing China’s economic friction with Washington and Russia’s military focus on Ukraine.

“The plan B is to continue the strategy before the start of talks. Iran will avoid escalating tensions, it is ready to defend itself,” one senior official said.

A second warned, “Without lifting sanctions to enable free oil sales and access to funds, Iran’s economy cannot recover.”

All three sources emphasized that while Tehran will resist Western demands, it currently has “no better option” than a new deal to avert further crisis.

The United States is in no position to launch a new war despite its recent threats toward the Islamic Republic, said Hamidreza Taraqqi, a senior member of Iran’s Motalefeh Party.

“They are not people of war, because their conditions do not allow them to start another conflict,” he said.

Taraqqi accused US officials of using public threats to influence global opinion; while “privately recognizing they lack the power to deny Iran its rights.”

He added that regional countries fear a new war, except Israel, which he said, "depends on war for survival."

In an article titled “Building a new reality for the region: Toward stability, sovereignty and solidarity in West Asia,” Araghchi painted a sobering picture of mounting challenges in the region, including protracted conflicts, environmental degradation, and humanitarian crises.

He argued that externally imposed security arrangements have repeatedly failed to deliver long-term stability.“The people of this region have paid the price for policies that were drafted without their consent or participation,” he wrote.

The top Iranian diplomat said the current geopolitical disorder is rooted in decades of unresolved conflicts, worsened by foreign interference.

He warned that issues like water scarcity, refugee displacement, and economic fragility are shared threats requiring regional cooperation rather than competitive power politics.

“Security in West Asia must no longer be treated as a zero-sum game,” Araghchi stressed. “It should be a collective endeavor based on mutual respect and inclusive dialogue.”

However, he warned that no regional security architecture would be complete without addressing the role of Israel, which he accused of persistent destabilization and operating outside international disarmament norms.

“A regime that systematically violates international law and enjoys unchecked military privilege cannot be part of any sustainable security framework,” Araghchi said, citing Israel’s nuclear ambiguity and history of regional military activity.

Araghchi called for West Asia to embrace a “homegrown paradigm of security” rooted in shared sovereignty and common prosperity, inviting global powers to support, rather than dictate, this transition.

“The future of West Asia will not be written in distant capitals,” he concluded. “It will be authored by the peoples of the region, based on frameworks reflecting their histories, cultures, and collective will.”

Araghchi’s article comes as indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the United States appear stalled, with both sides holding firm on uranium enrichment — a key sticking point each describes as a red line.

It also comes in the wake of a weakening of some of Iran's key military allies in the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and allied groups in Syria, once a military stronghold for Tehran under the presidency of ousted President Bashar al Assad.