Iran’s economy must not wait for sanctions relief: FM Araghchi

Speaking at the end of a short visit to Isfahan on Friday, Araghchi said the Foreign Ministry has never neglected its core mission of seeking to lift sanctions, even during the most complex and tense periods.

However, he underlined that termination of sanctions is only achievable through real, fair, and dignified negotiations based on mutual respect rather than pressure or threats.

Araghchi also said that by emphasizing the need to learn to live with sanctions, he was not advocating their acceptance, but rather stressing that the country’s production, trade, and development should not be put on hold while passively waiting for sanctions to be lifted.

According to the minister, the Foreign Ministry has defined two parallel missions: first, working to remove unjust US and Western sanctions that have inflicted significant costs on Iran’s economy; and second, reducing their impact by actively supporting economic cooperation, particularly with regional partners and neighboring countries.

Araghchi noted that economic diplomacy has entered an operational phase, focusing on resolving banking, transportation, and legal obstacles and facilitating foreign partnerships.

He added that provincial diplomacy aims to directly link local economic capacities with Iran’s foreign economic policy.

The foreign minister also emphasized that neutralizing sanctions is impossible without addressing internal obstacles, including complex regulations that undermine entrepreneurs’ motivation.

He said sanctions had forced Iran to diversify its economy, reduce dependence on oil, expand non-oil exports, and explore new trade routes.

Araghchi stated that persistent efforts to lift sanctions should go hand in hand with building a resilient economy that does not depend on a single source, route, or external decision./irna