Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi Details Iran’s Chaotic Start to the Israel-Iran War

In a 90-minute interview with journalist Javad Moghouei, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recounted being inside a compound used by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei when Israeli strikes began. He said he was meeting with Ali Hejazi, chief of staff to the former supreme leader, at nine o’clock reviewing a negotiation report when the attack hit. Security personnel evacuated him immediately, driving him in a civilian vehicle to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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Araghchi described the strike as exposing “severe security failures” and suggested that Israel’s intelligence may have relied on human infiltration rather than purely technical means. He noted a “coincidence” at 9:30 a.m. that he could not attribute to technology, and said security forces are now pursuing the source of the breach. According to Araghchi, officials had pre-planned an emergency “Code 110” to trigger specific actions, and alternative locations near the foreign ministry were prepared. He warned that underground tunnels, while useful, require occupants to stay for several days, limiting their practicality for rapid retreats.

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Araghchi said he contacted regional leaders to prevent the conflict from spreading. He spoke with Nechirvan Barzani (president of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq), Bafel Talabani (leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan), Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, receiving assurances that Kurdish territory would not be used for attacks against Iran. He also warned the Iraqi prime minister that any threat from the Kurdistan Region would provoke an Iranian response.

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• “I was with Ali Hejazi, chief of staff to [former] supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at nine o’clock, and we were finally going over a report on the negotiations,” — Abbas Araghchi, iranian foreign minister

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• “We entered through the same beams, beds, and other wooden debris,” — Abbas Araghchi, iranian foreign minister

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• “A young man came up and said, ‘Sir, come on, I’ll take you to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.’ The poor guy showed up with what I think was a Tipa or maybe a Peugeot 206. We got in, and he drove me to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” — Abbas Araghchi, iranian foreign minister

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• “This coincidence, this insight, and the fact that it happened at 9:30 in the morning – I no longer attribute this to technology or artificial factors,” — Abbas Araghchi, iranian foreign minister

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• “Now the security forces are pursuing this,” — Abbas Araghchi, iranian foreign minister

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• “One evening I spoke with Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq; Bafel Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan; Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan; and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani,” — Abbas Araghchi, iranian foreign minister

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These statements provide the most direct insight from Araghchi into the opening moments of the war, the perceived intelligence breach, emergency protocols, and regional diplomatic efforts.

The Jerusalem Post