Iran ‘won war and diplomacy,’ foreign minister says after Trump’s call for Tehran to surrender

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that Iran had "won both the war and diplomacy," claiming those who initially sought Tehran's "unconditional surrender" later sought negotiations.

Speaking at an event, Araghchi said Iran resisted for days against what he described as "the world's largest apparent military," alongside another army claiming military power and with the support of nearly all Western countries and some other states inside and outside the region, according to the Tasnim news agency.

"Those who were seeking unconditional surrender, shortly after the war began, begged for negotiations," Araghchi said.

He claimed Tehran initially rejected a ceasefire and continued fighting until reaching a point where the other side accepted a ceasefire and negotiations "on Iran's terms."

"We fought with strength, and we negotiated with strength," he said, adding that many foreign ministers had told him: "You won both the war and diplomacy."

Araghchi's remarks came after US President Donald Trump called on Iran on Monday to give up and "raise the white flag.