Tehran Condemns US Rhetoric at UN Security Council as ‘Publicity Stunt’ Aimed at Deception
Iran has criticized recent statements made by Morgan Ortagus, the counselor of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, regarding the ongoing diplomacy and negotiations with Tehran, labeling them as a "publicity stunt" intended to mislead the general public.
On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei characterized the statements made by the US representative concerning diplomacy and negotiations as nothing more than a publicity maneuver intended to mislead the public, during an interview with IRNA.
A statement highlighted a stark contrast, asserting that while Iran has consistently engaged in “meaningful” diplomacy, the United States has demonstrated a lack of both goodwill and seriousness in its diplomatic efforts.
During a UN Security Council session on Tuesday, Ortagus stated that Washington was open to entering formal negotiations, contingent upon Iran’s willingness to engage in direct talks and cease its uranium enrichment activities.
She emphasized the United States’ openness to engaging in formal negotiations with Iran, stating that such discussions are contingent upon Tehran’s willingness to participate in direct and substantive dialogue.
“Primarily, enrichment activities within Iran are not permissible, and this remains a fundamental principle,” she stressed.
Ortagus asserted that Trump had consistently sought diplomatic engagement with Iran, noting that Tehran did not reciprocate those efforts.
Baghaei dismissed the statements made by the US representative, describing them as a reiteration of unwarranted demands lacking grounding in international law or the non-proliferation framework. He stated that these demands do not constitute a “proposal” nor do they qualify as a diplomatic action.
The spokesperson stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran, as a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, possesses an unequivocal right to utilize nuclear energy for peaceful applications, including enrichment.
He stressed the necessity of holding the United States accountable for its clear breach of international law and its acts of aggression against Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities.
More than a week following Israel’s initiation of hostilities against Iran on June 13, the United States joined the conflict, targeting and bombing three Iranian nuclear sites located in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. This move has been widely criticized as a breach of international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Baghaei stated that Iran was involved in negotiations with the United States at the time when Israeli forces launched an assault on Iranian soil and its citizens. He further remarked that the declarations made by the U.S. envoy were merely efforts to misrepresent the truth.
Iran conducted five rounds of discussions aimed at finding a replacement for the 2015 nuclear agreement before a series of Israeli airstrikes targeted the country in June. The attacks occurred just days before the scheduled sixth round of indirect nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
Baghaei described the Security Council’s meeting on Tuesday as a “purely political maneuver” by the European signatories of the JCPOA—namely the UK, France, and Germany. He asserted that their aim was to maintain the relevance of Resolution 2231, despite its legal validity having already lapsed.
Discussing the legal standing of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, Baghaei explained that all provisions within the resolution are set to expire on October 18, 2025, as specified by its termination clause.
During the United Nations Security Council meeting, the European trio attempted to justify their unauthorized actions in re-activating the previously nullified resolutions, according to the Iranian spokesperson.
On August 28, the trio of European nations activated the “snapback” provision to reinstate UN sanctions, adding another layer of complexity to diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving ongoing tensions.
