Iran has expressed displeasure at U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement describing Iran as the most destructive force in the Middle East. Trump made this statement shortly after the fourth round of talks between the U.S. and Iran, mediated by Oman, regarding Iran’s nuclear program. During a speech on his tour to wealthy Middle Eastern countries, while speaking about his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, Trump praised Saudi Arabia and described it as a country with a constructive vision for the Middle East. He contrasted this with Iran, stating that Iran is a country that brings harm, destruction, and hardship to the region.
In response to Trump’s remarks, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the U.S. President has portrayed Iran from a perspective completely contrary to reality. Araghchi emphasized that Iran, like other countries in the region, is working towards development, progress, and prosperity. He stated that Iran’s progress is hindered by the sanctions and threats imposed by the U.S. against Iran. Araghchi added that Trump fails to see the major crimes committed by Israel in the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, and instead, the U.S. wants to portray Iran as the threat to the region.
The U.S. has always accused Iran of destabilizing the Middle East and creating unrest. The U.S. is particularly displeased with Iran for supporting the Houthi armed group in Yemen, which poses the greatest threat to Israel’s and America’s regional influence. Araghchi further stated that a meeting is scheduled for May 16 in Istanbul, Turkey, with senior officials from the UK, France, and Germany to discuss reaching an agreement with the U.S. on Iran’s nuclear program. He said that the talks with the U.S. on May 11 were very difficult and mainly focused on Iran’s uranium enrichment. He expressed hope that in future talks, the U.S. would speak from a more acceptable perspective after understanding Iran’s fundamental positions. Oman will soon announce the fifth round of nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran.
Araghchi said that his recent visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar were related to the ongoing talks with the U.S. He stated that Iran is a country that shares developments with its neighboring countries and wants to understand the regional countries’ perspectives on a possible agreement with the U.S.
