Iran has never sought to ‘wipe Israel off the map’ – foreign minister

Abbas Araghchi has also denied that the ‘death to America’ chant is a call to kill Americans

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has denied that Tehran aims to destroy Israel, speaking a month after the two regional rivals engaged in unprecedented hostilities.

“It has never been Iran’s policy to wipe out Israel from the map,” Araghchi told Fox News host Bret Baier in an interview aired on Monday.

He added, however, that Tehran will continue to support pro-Palestinian armed groups. “We believe that these groups – Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis – are fighting for a just cause. We have always supported them, politically and in other ways,” the diplomat said. He argued that US-supplied weapons help Israel “kill people” in Palestine and beyond.

Araghchi also denied allegations that Iran planned to assassinate US President Donald Trump and clarified that the popular chant ‘death to America’ refers to “the hegemonic policies of the United States, not the people of the United States.” He urged observers not to conflate radical elements in Iran with the country’s official stance.

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Iran has no diplomatic ties with the US and regards the State of Israel as an illegitimate entity. “Never doubt that the hostile, usurper Zionist regime will be wiped off the world’s map one day. God willing, this is a definite part of the future,” Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei wrote on his English-language X account in 2023. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the remarks a national threat as he ordered airstrikes during last month’s 12-day war with Iran.

Araghchi reaffirmed that Iran does not seek nuclear weapons and is open to restarting indirect talks with the US. He added that Iran will continue enriching uranium for civilian use, describing it as a matter of national pride.