Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Friday that his country wants to avoid a new war with Israel, while acknowledging, however, that the chances of it happening again “remain very high”.
During a visit to Baghdad, he said the conflict “changed the facts on the ground,” especially following the attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
He added that Iran was prepared to hold negotiations with the west, but on condition that their results be “guaranteed. Everyone saw how we were betrayed in the previous negotiations.”
Tel Aviv and Tehran waged a 12-day war in June with the former, with US support, attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.
At least 1,000 people were killed in Iran and 30 in Israel, according to official figures.
Meanwhile, Iran said it will launch new talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna on Friday to determine the “shape of the new cooperation” between them.
Reza Najafi, Iran’s ambassador to international organizations in Vienna, said the discussions will take place at the level of experts.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that any new agreement with the IAEA should hinge on the outcomes of the current nuclear negotiations.
There can be no new cooperation with the IAEA without reaching a final agreement over the nuclear file, he said in Doha on Thursday where he met with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
The officials discussed the future of the nuclear agreement, as well as regional developments.
An Iranian foreign ministry statement said they agreed to continue the consultations in the coming weeks.
