File photo -Mourners wave flags of Iran, Palestine, and Hezbollah during the funerary procession of Abbas Nilforoushan, the slain commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) who was assassinated in an Israeli air strike on Beirut's late September, in Mashhad in southern Iran. AFP
On Thursday, France's Le Figaro quoted Iran's Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as saying that his government was ready to negotiate the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which is seen as a precondition for a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah group.
The resolution calls for the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers to be the only forces deployed to southern Lebanon.
In a rare rebuke of Tehran, Mikati accused it of "blatant interference in Lebanese affairs and an attempt to establish an unacceptable guardianship over Lebanon".
"Iran has never had any intention or (taken any) action that could be suspected of interfering in the internal affairs of Lebanon," Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said during a weekly news conference.
"We hold discussions with any country that has an initiative and a proposal to end the crimes and aggression against Lebanon and the genocide in Gaza," said Baghaei, adding that there had been a "misunderstanding" regarding Ghalibaf's reported remarks.
Separately, Baghaei said that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi would travel to Bahrain and Kuwait on Monday as part of Iran's efforts to curb regional tensions, Reuters reported.
Iran has in recent days intensified diplomatic efforts, with Araghchi visiting multiple countries in the region to push for ceasefires in Lebanon and Gaza as well as ways to contain the conflicts.
Israel's expected attack
Addressing Israel's plans to attack Iran, Baghaei revealed that Iran has written to the UN nuclear watchdog to complain about Israel's threats against its nuclear sites.
"Threats to attack nuclear sites are against U.N. resolutions.... and are condemned... we have sent a letter about it to... the UN nuclear watchdog," he said.
Baghaei, responding to a question about the possibility of Iran changing its official nuclear doctrine, said "Weapons of mass destruction have no place in our policy". Tehran would decide on how and when to respond to any Israeli attack.
On 1 October, Iran fired a missile attack at Israel in retaliation for the assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders by Israel. Since then, Israel vowed to respond.
Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that Israel -- and not the United States -- will decide how it will strike back against Iran.
US President Joe Biden has cautioned Tel Aviv against striking Iran's nuclear or oil facilities to avoid a further regional escalation and amid concerns over global energy prices.
"We listen to the opinions of the United States, but we will make our final decisions based on our national interest," Netanyahu's office said.
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