Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi Recounts Near-Death Experience with Khamenei During US Bombing

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has recounted how he was rescued from the rubble of the leadership compound after a US-Israeli air strike killed the country’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, on the first day of the war. Since then, he has survived by constantly moving around the capital, Tehran, by car.

In an interview with Iranian journalist Javad Mogouyi, Araghchi confirmed that Israel and the US possessed accurate intelligence on the whereabouts of Khamenei and other officials, enabling them to target Iran’s senior leadership.

Araghchi also admitted that he had not yet met the country’s new Supreme Leader, Khamenei’s son Mojtaba. However, he said the appointment sent a very important message to the world that there would be no change in the policies and ideals of the Iranian regime.

Speaking to Mogouyi before the resumption of large-scale hostilities ten days ago, Araghchi said he had always doubted that negotiations with the US earlier this year would succeed.

Nevertheless, he said the negotiations were necessary, even with only a 10 per cent chance of success — particularly to ensure there could be no doubt that Iran had pursued diplomacy.

“No one will be able to tell us that it was our fault,” he told the Guardian.