The latest edition of Sanchez Effect features an interview with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi. The conversation took place against the backdrop of the US and Israel’s large-scale attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran and the deaths of senior Iranian figures, including the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Gharibabadi describes the actions of Washington and Tel Aviv as a ‘heinous crime’. He says Khamenei’s death is a tragedy not only for Iran, but millions of Muslims around the world. The diplomat dismisses the justifications for the attack offered by the US and Israel, noting that they have been claiming that Iran was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon for decades. He calls such assertions baseless and reiterates that Iran’s nuclear programme has always been peaceful and subject to oversight by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The deputy foreign minister also comments on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that disruptions in shipping are not being caused by Iran but are the direct consequence of the war launched against it.
Is Iran prepared for a prolonged conflict? And what role might Russia and China play in efforts to resolve the crisis?
