Iranian foreign minister says Tehran open to ‘serious efforts’ to halt escalation

ISTANBUL

Iran’s foreign minister said Sunday that Tehran is open to any “serious efforts” aimed at stopping escalation and restoring stability amid continued US-Israeli attacks.

Abbas Araghchi made the remarks in a phone call with his Omani counterpart, Badr Al-Busaidi, according to a statement from the gulf nation's Foreign Ministry.

During the call, Araghchi expressed appreciation for Oman’s diplomatic role between the sides and its ongoing efforts to defuse the current crisis for a return to dialogue and negotiations.

He conveyed Iran’s “call for peace,” saying the Israeli-US attack on his country “had exacerbated tensions and fear across the region.”

The Iranian minister affirmed Tehran’s openness to “any serious efforts that contribute to halting escalation and returning to stability.”

Busaidi, for his part, reiterated Oman’s continued calls for “a ceasefire and a return to dialogue and negotiations to resolve the conflict diplomatically in a way that meets the legitimate demands of all parties.”

He also urged the Iranian side “to exercise restraint and avoid steps that could undermine good neighborly relations.”

The US and Israel launched an attack on Iran on Saturday, killing several top Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran retaliated with a series of drone and missile attacks that targeted Israel, US assets and several Gulf countries.

This came after an earlier wave of attacks by Tel Aviv and Washington in June last year, triggering a 12-day war before a ceasefire was announced.