Press conference of the Foreign Ministers of Iran and Iraq, June 28, 2026

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a press conference in Baghdad following meetings with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein. He thanked the Iraqi government and people for their support during the war and congratulated the new Iraqi government. He said the visit also covered final preparations for the funeral processions of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to be held in Najaf and Karbala in early July. On the Strait of Hormuz, Araghchi reiterated that the waterway «remains under the total oversight and management of Iran» for the next 30 days under the MoU, and that no other party should interfere. He warned that any unilateral action would «exacerbate the situation» and delay the reopening of the strait. He also said the US must ensure Israel ceases its attacks on Lebanon and withdraws from occupied territories, calling this «item one» of the MoU. Araghchi condemned continued US strikes on Iranian military and port facilities, saying they violate the MoU. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein offered to mediate between the GCC countries, Iran and Iraq to defuse regional tensions and restore stability. Araghchi welcomed the proposal. For Iraq, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has had a severe economic impact, as the country relies on oil revenues for more than 95% of its national income.