Iran forced US, Israel to shift from ‘unconditional surrender’ to ‘unconditional ceasefire’

Speaking at an administrative council meeting in Hamedan province on Thursday evening, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared that the enemy utterly failed in all its objectives during the 12-day conflict.

Araghchi detailed the enemy’s miscalculation, noting their assumption that Iran would quickly capitulate under sudden strikes.

He stated that it is a reality that "the enemy failed to achieve all its goals in this 12-day war."

The foreign minister recalled the early days of the war, when they sent messages demanding negotiations for surrender, with American President Donald Trump famously urging “unconditional surrender” in a social media post.

“Their goal in starting the war was surprise and sudden strikes, and they thought Iran would raise its hands in surrender within 2-3 days,” he said. “But such a thing was not realized with the prudence of the Leader (Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei) and the rapid replacement of military commanders and the rebuilding of the armed forces and the serious entry of the government into crisis management and securing the country's needs."

Araghchi affirmed the effectiveness of Iran's decisive response, highlighting the indigenous power that forced the enemy's retreat.

He noted that the correct, timely, and "powerful and comprehensive reaction of our armed forces to the enemy's aggression” was also critical in their failure.

Addressing Western claims, he remarked, "I told the heads of states during my meeting with them that many claimed that the skies of Iran were in the hands of Israeli planes during the 12-day war, but they do not mention the part that the sky of the Zionist regime was in the hands of Iran's missiles, and that despite the multi-layered defense with American and European aid, they could not prevent the landing of Iranian missiles."

The accuracy and impact of Iran's deterrent power were undeniable, according to the minister.

"Our missiles, for the first time in a war, hit the enemy's territories more accurately and firmly every day by removing their weak points."

He stressed that the domestic production of this military capability proved decisive, leading to a monumental shift in the enemy's demands.

"The result was that those who said on the first days of the war 'unconditional surrender' said on the twelfth day of the war 'unconditional ceasefire,'” he said. “This is the difference of a nation that can resist with its capabilities and triumph over the enemy."

'National cohesion key to resilience'

The minister credited the victory not only to military might and leadership but also to the unwavering support of the Iranian populace.

"Besides the prudence of the Leader and the authority of the armed forces and the efforts of the government and the diplomacy team, the national cohesion and steadfastness of the people were another important factor in the victory over the enemy in the 12-day war."

He cautioned the public to remain vigilant against divisive tactics, noting.

"The enemy is intensely trying to undermine the cohesion that we witnessed being strengthened during the 12-day war, which was one of the factors of our authority and victory."

Araghchi also detailed the diplomatic victory that accompanied the military success, stating that the foreign policy apparatus worked hard "to defend the righteousness of the system and the Iranian people," leading "120 countries in the world [to] condemn the American and Israeli attack on the soil of the Islamic homeland and express support for the Iranian nation."

'Iran must become strong'

Araghchi emphasized that the path to security and progress lies in following the Leader's repeated guidance that"our progress and the way to our survival and our dignity is in becoming strong."

"We must become strong. This is a reality in the international arena that any country that is strong makes way for itself, and the weaker ones are suppressed. We must strengthen ourselves from all sides to remove the shadow of war, threats, and sanctions from ourselves."

Pointing to the performance of the armed forces in the recent war, the minister declared a return to, and even surpassing of, previous military strength.

"Our armed forces spared no effort in this regard, and today I can say with knowledge that the capability of the armed forces, our defensive capability, and our missile capability have returned to before June 13th, and are even stronger."

Araghchi concluded by underscoring that what deters enemies is the "readiness for war."

"The enemies started the war with their miscalculations, but now they know that the Islamic Republic is more ready than ever to defend itself, and all of this has caused the tension of war to decrease, and it has become certain for them that in no war against the people of Iran will they achieve their goals."