Iran did not attend the Sharm el-Sheikh conference on Gaza because it lacked legitimacy, though the country remains committed to diplomacy, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said in an interview on Tuesday.
“Diplomacy will never be suspended, but we did not take part in a summit chaired by a party that takes pride in an illegal attack against our country,” Baghaei said, referring to the Monday meeting in Egypt that was led by US President Donald Trump.
The Sharm el-Sheikh summit, attended by leaders from the United States, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, followed the signing of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that ended two years of war in Gaza. The deal included the release of 20 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Baghaei said the meeting “had no international credibility” because it was not held under the supervision of the United Nations and several major countries, including China and Russia, were not invited. “A gathering of limited participants cannot claim to represent the global community,” he said, according to state radio.
He added that Iran viewed the conference as politically one-sided, given that it was chaired by “a party that not only supported but also celebrated illegal strikes against Iran earlier this year.”
In June, the United States joined Israel in a series of attacks on Iranian nuclear sites after indirect talks between Tehran and Washington stalled over enrichment and inspection terms. The strikes destroyed parts of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and killed scientists and soldiers, according to Iranian officials.
Baghaei said Iran’s position on Gaza remained unchanged. “Our clear priority is ending the genocide in Gaza, ensuring the return of displaced residents and securing the withdrawal of the occupiers,” he said. “As long as the Palestinian right to self-determination is not recognized, no plan will lead to real peace.”
Iran rejects Trump’s remarks on peace
His remarks came after the Iranian Foreign Ministry rejected Trump’s comments about a possible peace deal with Tehran, calling them contradictory to US behavior. Trump said during the summit in Egypt that “it would be great if we made a peace deal with them,” and later told reporters that Iran “has been battered and bruised” by sanctions but would “come along” to negotiations.
Tehran said such comments could not be taken seriously in light of US sanctions and the June attacks. “How can one speak of peace while attacking residential areas and peaceful nuclear facilities and killing innocent people?” the ministry said on Monday.
Baghaei said Iran continued to rely on diplomacy “to safeguard national interests and promote peace,” emphasizing that participation in international affairs “is not limited to physical presence at summits.”
“The Islamic Republic has always used diplomacy as a tool to protect its sovereignty and to pursue peace and stability,” he said. “This approach will continue, but it will not come at the cost of our national dignity.”
