Iran's FM seeks regional backing against Israel in Mideast tour

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has departed for Jordan, advancing his Middle East tour to rally support among regional countries as Tehran braces for a promised Israeli retaliatory strike.

The overarching message from his previous meetings, Araghchi has reaffirmed Iran’s position that it "does not want war" but is "fully prepared for a war situation."

Following visits to Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, and Oman, Iran’s top diplomat will continue to Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey.

While Iran has actively tried to engage in regional diplomacy to counter Israel's actions and mitigate US influence, one former Iranian diplomat says the state’s strategy is bound to fail.

In an interview with the Iranian news site Khabar Online, Iran’s former ambassador to Jordan, Nosratollah Tajik, argued that the Islamic Republic cannot realistically expect neighboring countries to fully align with its stance against Israel.

Tajik says that Tehran lacks a comprehensive approach that aligns with the priorities of neighboring states, stating that many – particularly Saudi Arabia – are focused on economic stability and are unlikely to adopt an anti-Israel stance just to support Iran's position.

On October 1, Tehran launched more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel, declaring the strike a response to the recent killings of Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah and Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) General Abbas Nilforoushan in Lebanon.

Since Israel's vow to retaliate, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly assured the Biden administration that any potential strike would target military assets rather than Iran’s oil or nuclear facilities. Prior to that, a top US State Department official told CNN that Israel has given no assurances it won’t target Iran’s nuclear facilities.

"Some think the US has turned a blind eye to Israel's actions! Not at all. The US, with full awareness, has allowed Israel a free hand to undermine Iran’s position in the region, enabling any crimes in Gaza and Lebanon," Tajik further argued in the interview. Currently residing in the UK, Tajik's diplomatic career faced complications following his 2006 arrest there on alleged arms trafficking charges—a case that garnered substantial media attention.

Amid his continuing Middle East tour, Iran’s foreign minister also announced that indirect talks with the United States would not continue, citing the worsening Middle East crisis as a barrier to further negotiations.

"We do not see a basis for these talks until the current crisis is resolved. Afterward, we will decide whether to resume negotiations and in what form they should continue," Araghchi said in Oman, which had previously facilitated indirect talks with the US.

Araghchi also held talks with a senior official from Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement.

The specifics of his discussions with the Houthi official were not disclosed. However, Yemen’s Houthis, along with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, form part of Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance,” a coalition of militant groups aligned against Israel.