“It has never been part of Iran’s official policy to wipe Israel off the map,” Araghchi stated. “What we support is the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to exist and resist occupation.”

While distancing Iran from any call for Israel’s destruction, the minister confirmed that Tehran will continue supporting armed groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, describing their struggles as “legitimate resistance movements.”

“We believe these groups are fighting for a just cause. We have supported them politically and otherwise, and we will continue to do so,” Araghchi emphasized.

Araghchi also took aim at the United States, accusing it of directly enabling Israeli aggression through military support.

“America supplies Israel with weapons, and Israel uses them to kill innocent civilians in Gaza and the West Bank. This is not security it’s state-sponsored violence,” he said.

The comments come in the aftermath of a brief but intense confrontation between Iran and Israel, which ended earlier this month. The flare-up was triggered by an Israeli airstrike on a gas facility in southern Iran. Tehran accused Tel Aviv of deliberately escalating tensions, with Washington’s implicit backing.

Israel, for its part, maintains that Iran is still committed to its destruction, citing its continued financial and military support to anti-Israel militant groups. Israeli officials argue that such support is evidence of a broader plan to destabilize and ultimately erase Israel, a claim Tehran has firmly denied.

While Iran insists it does not aim to destroy Israel, its unwavering support for groups that openly seek Israel’s elimination continues to raise alarm in Tel Aviv and Western capitals. Foreign Minister Araghchi framed Iran’s role as one of regional resistance and defensive solidarity, but analysts warn that without a shift in posture, the threat of a broader conflict remains high.