Iran's foreign minister says his country is ready for diplomacy, but will 'defend ourselves'

​Iran is ​ready ‌for diplomacy ​but will defend itself, Foreign ‌Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote in an article published in ‌the Financial Times on ‌Wednesday. "While Iran is firmly committed to seeking a ⁠dignified peaceful ​resolution ⁠to the conflict, we are ⁠also fully prepared to defend ​ourselves," he wrote.

He said ⁠the White House had ⁠shown ​no willingness to reach an understanding and ⁠that there was little ⁠reason ⁠to expect progress now.