Iranian FM doubles down on fighting, rejects ceasefire calls

Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi rejected calls for a ceasefire, saying Tehran must continue fighting to protect its people and security until a permanent end to the war is reached, while blaming the U.S. and Israel for civilian casualties; he noted ongoing cooperation with Russia but did not provide details. He said Iran's strikes target American bases rather than neighboring states and warned that Iranian forces would defend against any U.S. ground invasion. The interview also references regional leadership changes, though Araghchi offered no clarity on a successor to Ayatollah Khamenei.