Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi notes that while diplomacy needs to continue during wartime, messages, positions and language must adapt to the conditions.

In an interview with state news agency IRNA, Gharibabadi says that diplomacy in war should not reflect weakness against the enemy, adding that “unnecessary flexibility emboldens the enemy”.

“It is correct that when a country is at war, the door to diplomacy should not be closed, as most wars have been resolved through diplomacy and negotiation,” he states.

“Diplomacy and the battlefield must be fully coordinated … this coordination has never been as strong as it is now,” the report reads, quoting Gharibabadi.

Additionally, he notes that diplomatic language during war “cannot be expected to be as mild as in peacetime”.

“Our experience in negotiations has shown that whenever we have shown unnecessary flexibility toward the US and the West, their demands have only increased,” he explains.