Iran ‘paid heavy price’ for supporting proxies, Palestinians, ex-FM Zarif says at Doha Forum

Zarif argued that Jerusalem misread Iran’s staying power when the fighting resumed earlier this year. “The Israelis launched this aggression based on mistaken assumptions,” he said.

Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif took issue with Arab support of the Palestinians, while claiming Iran had been unfairly vilified in the region, at the Doha Forum in Qatar over the weekend.

“We have paid a heavy price,” Zairf told those gathered from the stage. “Not a single shot has been fired in the past 45 years by any of our so-called proxies in order to advance our interests. They have been fighting for their own interests, and Iran has paid the price. We are resentful of our Arab friends because we supported the Arab cause more than the Arabs did. And we get to be blamed. We supported Palestine more than any Arab country supported Palestine.”

In a rambling answer, Zarif then turned to his own experience with US sanctions, claiming the only reason he was being punished was that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had asked the Americans.

“I’m under two American designations. Why? Did I kill anybody?” the former foreign minister asked. “No. Just because Netanyahu wanted me to be under American designation. So, which Arab is under American designation because of Netanyahu’s request?”

Zarif has been under sanctions since 2019, when he was the Islamic Republic’s foreign minister. His time in the role coincided with Iranian negotiations with the P5+1 countries, which culminated in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in July 2015, and the lifting of economic sanctions against Iran in January 2016.

Zarif also insisted that Iran is blamed for regional instability primarily caused by Israel, saying, “Tell me, why do we have to be blamed for problems that are caused by Israel?” while also framing Iran as a benefit to the region, claiming, “Our friends in the region have everything to gain through cooperation with Iran.”

“We have no territorial ambitions against our friends in the region,” he said, adding that Arab governments often speak obsessively about Iranian territory: “They’re talking about our territory. We’re not talking about their territory.”

Zarif: Iran seeks no aggression, warns Israel over ‘miscalculations’

Zarif concluded by distancing Iran from historical aggressors in the region. “We do not want access to the high seas as [former Iraqi dictator] Saddam Hussein wanted,” he said, arguing that Iran is neither seeking land acquisition nor domination over its neighbors.

Hussein invaded Iran in the 1980s, soon after the Iranian Revolution. Despite aims of a rapid victory, Iranian resistance led to the eight-year-long Iran-Iraq War.

On the sidelines of the conference, Zarif also met with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Fuad Hussein. The two discussed regional and international developments, as well as the latest political developments in Iraq.

Zarif also told Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu on Sunday that Israel’s June war with Iran stemmed from what he described as serious “miscalculations,” cautioning that any renewed hostilities would compel Tehran to defend itself.

Zarif argued that Jerusalem misread Iran’s staying power when the fighting resumed earlier this year. “The Israelis launched this aggression based on mistaken assumptions,” he said, adding that they ultimately discovered “the determination of the Iranian people would not allow them to achieve their goals, and that is what brought the war to an end.”

He insisted that Tehran seeks no ongoing conflict but would not hesitate to respond if attacked. “Israel is well aware that Iran has the capability to cause significant damage,” Zarif said. “But Iran has no desire to do so except in self-defense. If they stop and set aside plans for future attacks, that would be in their own interest.”