LOC20:09
17:09 GMT
WASHINGTON, March 1 (KUNA) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stressed his country's "legitimate right to self-defense" amid continuous US and Israeli occupation strikes for the second consecutive day.
In an interview with ABC News Sunday, Araqchi said, "We are defending ourselves and have every legitimate right to defend ourselves. What the United States is doing is aggression. What we are doing is self-defense. There is a big difference between the two."
He added, "No one can tell us that we have no right to defend ourselves. We defend our people at any cost, and we see no limit in defending our population."
Regarding the selection of a new Supreme Leader following the death of the previous leader Ali Khamenei, Araqchi explained that the procedure outlined in Iran's constitution calls for the Assembly of Experts to elect a new leader.
Currently, a transitional council comprising the President, the Head of the Judiciary, and one jurist from the Guardian Council is overseeing the process until the new Supreme Leader is formally elected.
On negotiations with the United States, Araqchi said, "We have negotiated with them twice in the past 12 months, and in both cases, they attacked us in the midst of negotiations. It has been a very bitter experience for us." (end)
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